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From degradation to opportunity: advancing the global restoration economy at CRIC23

December 3, 2025

A room filled with event participants before panelists

Panelists and participants at CRIC23 side event
Photo credit: UNCCD/G20 Global Land Initiative

On 2 December 2025, the G20 Global Land Initiative, hosted by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), convened a high-level side event titled, From Degradation to Opportunity: Industry, Innovation and Investment in the Restoration Economy, during the 23rd session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC23).

The event underscored the rapidly expanding restoration economy—an emerging global industry essential to achieving climate, biodiversity and sustainable development goals. With nature underpinning more than half of global Gross Domestic Product and countries pledging to restore over one billion hectares of land worldwide, the restoration sector is positioned to generate US$1.5–2 trillion in economic value.

Strategic investment in land and ecosystem restoration is increasingly recognized not only as an environmental imperative but also as a catalyst for job creation, rural development, private-sector innovation and resilient economic growth.

Setting the Stage: Data on the Restoration Economy

Opening the event, Joann Lee of the UNCCD–G20 Global Land Initiative highlighted compelling evidence from global restoration markets. In the United States, the restoration industry already supports 221,000 jobs — on par with sectors like oil and gas, agriculture and environmental protection. The industry contributes US$25 billion in annual economic output.

Brazil’s restoration potential is equally notable. Restoring degraded pasturelands could unlock US$141 billion in value and create 369,000 jobs every year. The internal rates of return is estimated at 169%, far exceeding traditional cattle ranching. Meanwhile, Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced a 23% annual increase in investment in nature-based climate solutions since 2012, signalling growing confidence in restoration as an investable sector.

Lee emphasized that these examples illustrate the transformative potential of domestic restoration industries, which include consultancies, engineering firms, technology providers, local businesses and community actors. She also highlighted the urgency of developing national supply chains, skilled workforces and supportive policies to meet rising global demand.

Panel 1: Scaling Restoration from Pilots to Mature Markets

The first panel brought together leading private-sector voices:

  • Michael Keefer, President, Keefer Ecological Services
  • Beatriz Azevedo, CEO and Founder, Aba Climate Solutions
  • Rishi Das, Head of Restoration, Terraformation

This discussion focused on the operational realities of translating small-scale pilots into investable, large-scale restoration enterprises. Panelists explored key factors, such as unit economics, workforce development, procurement systems and implementation logistics, drawing on experiences across North and South America, Africa and Asia.

They stressed the importance of robust regulatory frameworks, improved market transparency and blended finance mechanisms to lower risks and incentivize private-sector participation.

The panel also emphasized that successful restoration must be context-driven and community-centred, ensuring the meaningful inclusion of Indigenous Peoples, women, youth and local land users.

Participants also called for stronger cooperation between governments, the private sector, financial institutions, civil society and academia to scale the industry responsibly and sustainably.

Panel 2: Finance, Policy, and Enabling Environments

The second panel featured:

  • Joaquín E. Carrizosa, Senior Advisor, World Resources Institute (WRI) Colombia
  • Houtan Bassiri, Innovative Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Coordinator, Global Mechanism, UNCCD

This session examined the enabling conditions required to unlock large-scale investment in restoration. Carrizosa highlighted WRI’s data tools, including Global Forest Watch, that strengthen transparency, monitor progress and help de-risk investments.

Bassiri presented financing instruments and innovative mechanisms led by the UNCCD’s Global Mechanism, outlining ways to mobilize capital through guarantees, concessional loans, performance-based payments and multi-stakeholder partnerships.

Both speakers stressed that addressing systemic barriers, such as limited market expansion, skill shortages and insufficient national legislation, will be critical for accelerating the restoration economy.

Looking Ahead: Mobilizing a Global Movement for Restoration Industry Growth

The event concluded with a forward-looking dialogue on expanding collaboration and scaling industry leadership. Participants highlighted opportunities through:

  • Business4Land, launched at COP16 in Riyadh, which strengthens business engagement in land restoration;
  • the Youth Ecopreneurs (YECO) Programme of the G20 Global Land Initiative and the International Trade Centre, which fosters a new generation of green innovators; and
  • the International Symposium on the Emerging Restoration Industry, to be convened by the G20 Global Land Initiative in 2026, which will gather global actors to shape the future of the sector.

The side event reinforced that the restoration industry is poised to become a major driver of global green growth, capable of delivering economic, social and environmental benefits at scale. Through strengthened finance, supportive legislation, innovation and cross-sector collaboration, countries can turn land degradation into a powerful economic opportunity for people and planet.