FAO warns global land degradation exceeds one-tenth of Earth's surface

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has issued an urgent warning regarding the shrinking window available for restoring forests and degraded lands worldwide. According to its "State of the World’s Forests 2026" report, approximately 1.56 billion hectares across the globe currently fall into the category of degraded land.

Urgent restoration targets set

To address this crisis, the agency calls for a significant expansion of restoration efforts. The report specifies that an additional 470 million hectares must be restored by the year 2030. This target comes amid accelerating climate change, rising human pressures on natural resources, and increasing demand for those same resources.

Economic cost of inaction

The FAO outlines severe financial consequences if these restoration measures are not implemented. In the absence of action, the annual cost associated with continued degradation could reach up to $6.3 trillion. The organization emphasizes that the current pace of restoration is insufficient to meet the ecological and economic challenges posed by widespread land degradation.