Progress Towards the SDG Land Degradation and Restoration Commitments

Since the commitments and reporting requirements of the SDGs ov erlap significantly with those of the UNFCCC and UNCCD, policy designe rs have mutually reinforcing incentives to advance this SDG commitment. When env ironmental degradation is minimized and restoration efforts are prioritized , ecosystems can sequester and store more carbon and lessen the impact of some c limate change effects. The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 strate gy highlights the importance of securing land tenure, we can hope to see grea ter alignment and collaboration across the agencies striving for a more susta inable world. Reaching the SDG land degradation neutrality target will require strong political commitment in all countries, backed by dedicated resources, to enact concerted, deliberate, and multi-sectorial efforts. Up to now, countries have sometimes been distracted by other competing priorities, especially under a pandemic, limited by lack of capacity or by the belief that environmental challenges are too complex to resolve. It is now time for governments, development partners, civil society practitioners, experts, and researchers to come together and pool their experience, expertise, resources, and institutional reach. The post-COVID-19 world we all hope for depends on whether people – everyone, everywhere – can count on robust environmental policies to bolster their food security, livelihoods, health, and climate resilience.