Ahead of World Environment Day (Saturday 5 June 2021), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) co-hosted a virtual event to launch the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Their aim is to address the global environmental emergency we are facing and increase/fasten actions towards ecosystem restoration and biodiversity protection. The degradation of the environment is already affecting about 40% of the world's population, reducing access to necessary resources and destroying usable lands.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for global action on the matter, declaring that it is not too late to reverse the situation but that we are facing our last chance to avert catastrophe. Such actions would additionally "create millions of new jobs by 2030, generate returns of over $7 trillion dollars every year, and help eliminate poverty and hunger" (UN News 2021).

This new initiative timed perfectly with the current international discussion on the universal recognition of living in a healthy and sustainable environment as a formal human right.

CD4Peace embraces UNEP and UNFAO's efforts to address environmental degradation and pollution and urges governments to take further action to participate in ecosystem restoration.