Progress on the New York Declaration on Forests

The document evaluates global forest restoration progress using two indicators: Bonn Challenge pledges and UNFCCC Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). As of November 2015, Bonn Challenge commitments reached 62.6 million hectares (41.7% of the 2020 target), while UNFCCC INDCs included pledges for approximately 121.7 million hectares (35% of the 2030 target). The report notes that while commitments have increased, they are often clustered around major agreements and require a faster rate of pledging to meet targets. It also highlights significant data gaps in standardized global aggregates and the limitations of satellite imagery in detecting small-scale forest growth.

• As of the reporting period, 14 countries, three subnational regions, and two organizations have pledged to restore 62.6 million hectares of forest landscapes under the Bonn Challenge, representing 41.7% of the 150-million-hectare target for 2020.
• Projections for the COP-21 conference in Paris suggest that total Bonn Challenge commitments would increase to 83.8 million hectares, or 55.8% of the 2020 target.
• Analysis of 68 parties to the UNFCCC that submitted land-sector targets in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) shows estimated pledges of 121.7 million hectares for restoration, reforestation, and afforestation, which is 35% of the 350-million-hectare target for 2030.
• The report identifies a lack of up-to-date standardized global aggregates for restoration activities, noting that current databases provide case studies but lack universal measurement indicators.
• Satellite imagery, specifically the Hansen/GFW dataset, is limited in its ability to monitor restoration because it cannot confirm activities directly and likely underestimates tree cover gain for trees under 5 meters high or those sparsely distributed.
• To facilitate the identification of feasible restoration areas at a fine scale, the IUCN and World Resources Institute (WRI) are implementing the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM).

APA

Forest Declaration Assessment (2015). Progress on the New York Declaration on Forests. https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2015Goal5.pdf

Chicago

Forest Declaration Assessment. Progress on the New York Declaration on Forests. 2015. https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2015Goal5.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Forest Declaration Assessment |title=Progress on the New York Declaration on Forests |date=November 2015 |url=https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2015Goal5.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{forestdeclarationassessment2015progress, author = {{Forest Declaration Assessment}}, title = {{Progress on the New York Declaration on Forests}}, institution = {Forest Declaration Assessment}, year = {2015}, month = nov, url = {https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2015Goal5.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }