Global Forest Restoration Could Deliver $1.8 Trillion a Year in Benefits, FAO Says

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization's State of the World's Forests 2026 examines forest and landscape restoration as an economic investment. It estimates that restoring more than one billion hectares of degraded land could generate $1.8 trillion annually in benefits, including water regulation, biodiversity and healthier soils.

Why this matters

The report says forests cover 4.14 billion hectares, and countries have pledged substantial areas for restoration. Yet promised programmes are not the same as restored ecosystems: financing, land rights, monitoring and long-term maintenance remain necessary.

The limits and what happens next

The $1.8 trillion figure is a modelled potential benefit, not annual revenue currently earned by restoration companies. For farmers, practical returns may include more stable water supply and less soil degradation; investors must still test local project economics and community impacts.

Original source

Primary source and original publication: https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-report--restoring-forests-and-landscapes-is-critical-to-meeting-global-food-security-and-development-goals/en