Switzerland announced a major investment of CHF 5.2 million into the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) Hub during COP30 in Belém, Brazil. The funding aims to scale forest and landscape restoration efforts in Africa and enhance knowledge exchange across South America. Implemented by IUCN in partnership with WWF and WRI, the FLR Hub will significantly expand its work through this contribution.
The Swiss investment will strengthen restoration initiatives in Mozambique and accelerate ongoing activities in Madagascar. It will also support the creation of a regional knowledge and learning platform in South America, enabling collaboration and exchange among countries such as Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. This platform will help governments, communities, and organisations access technical support, training, and evidence-based tools for high-quality restoration.
The announcement was delivered by Pierre-Yves Morier of the Embassy of Switzerland in Brasília during a high-level COP30 event marking 15 years of the Bonn Challenge. He emphasised Switzerland’s commitment to fostering climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development through restoration. He highlighted the importance of empowering local communities, promoting gender equality and social inclusion, and strengthening South–South cooperation.
IUCN welcomed the contribution, with Dr. Chetan Kumar noting that scaling restoration requires long-term partnerships, technical capacity, and predictable financing. Switzerland’s support comes at a crucial time, helping expand on-the-ground restoration work while improving transparency and knowledge sharing across regions.
During the COP30 event, leaders stressed the importance of integrating Forest Landscape Restoration into national climate and biodiversity strategies such as NDCs and NBSAPs. They also called for increased public and private investments to ensure large-scale, long-term restoration.
Switzerland’s new funding will advance landscape-level restoration in vulnerable regions, support monitoring and reporting through tools like the IUCN Restoration Barometer, and strengthen cooperation between African and South American nations. As the 2030 deadline for restoring 350 million hectares under the Bonn Challenge approaches, the contribution demonstrates Switzerland’s ongoing commitment to international collaboration and Nature-based Solutions.
Looking ahead, IUCN and partners underscored that continued political will and long-term investments are essential for turning restoration pledges into measurable results. With Switzerland’s expanded support, the FLR Hub aims to work closely with partner countries to advance inclusive, resilient, and high-quality restoration across both continents.
