With the inclusion of Canada’s commitment, almost 230 million hectares have been pledged for restoration across the globe as part of the Bonn Challenge, according to the federal government.
Canada promises to restore 19 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030 as international negotiations to save the world’s rapidly dwindling biodiversity carry on in Montreal.
“We are working with Indigenous communities, provinces and territories to protect and restore nature, including through our commitment to planting two billion trees,” Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said in a news release. “As the world gathers in Montreal for COP15, we look forward to others joining us in the Bonn Challenge to protect nature globally.”
Other large Bonn Challenge pledges include Ethiopia with 15 million hectares, India with 26 million and the Republic of Sudan with 14.6 million. Ottawa’s initial pledge of approximately 19 million hectares is based on federally funded programs that support on-the-ground ecosystem restoration activities in forests, grasslands, peatlands, wetlands, agricultural lands and urban areas across the country.
While restoration is important, the best thing we can do is keep our forests standing, especially old and primary forests, said Tegan Hansen, forest campaigner with Stand.earth. Shortly after, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about the leaked letter and how Canada’s “green promises” align with industrial practices like clear-cut logging, and told media Canada is a leader in biodiversity and that “the government of B.C. is a strong, steadfast partner when it comes to protecting nature, and that's just an example of the great work we will continue to do and lead on.
Because forests house 80 per cent of all terrestrial biodiversity, forest and landscape restoration is an important nature-based solution, the release noted.