Goal 5 assessment

The 2020 assessment of NYDF Goal 5 finds that the target of restoring 150 million hectares of forest by 2020 is not on track, with only 18% of the goal met since 2000. While some Central American countries like El Salvador and Costa Rica show net tree cover gains, others like Nicaragua and Honduras show net losses. The report highlights significant challenges in monitoring restoration due to satellite data limitations and emphasizes the need for better financial transparency and planning to scale forest landscape restoration (FLR).

• The global target of restoring 150 million hectares of forest by 2020 is not on track. A literature review indicates that since 2000, approximately 26.7 million hectares of forest landscapes have experienced tree cover gain, which is 18 percent of the 2020 goal. Furthermore, the average rate of forest restoration decreased from about 2 million hectares per year between 2000-10 to less than 1 million hectares per year after 2011.
• In Central America, gross tree cover gains are being offset by higher rates of loss. Between 2011 and 2018, the region saw 1,903 million hectares of gross tree cover gain but 2,222 million hectares of tree cover loss, resulting in a net loss of 320 million hectares. While El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Guatemala saw net increases, Belize, Honduras, and Nicaragua experienced net losses.
• Monitoring restoration progress is technically complex due to data gaps and the limitations of satellite imagery. Remote sensing can detect tree cover gain but cannot distinguish between natural restoration, abandoned land, or monoculture plantations. Additionally, satellite data often fails to capture 'trees outside the forest' or sparse tree cover in agricultural landscapes.
• There is an increasing trend of private sector engagement in forest landscape restoration (FLR). Companies such as AstraZeneca, Mars, Mastercard, Nestle, Starbucks, and Timberland have made quantified restoration pledges. Amazon provided a USD 10 million grant for restoration in the Appalachian Mountains via its Climate Fund.
• Financial transparency and planning remain significant barriers to scaling FLR. Global cost-per-hectare estimates for FLR range from USD 2,390 to USD 3,450, excluding opportunity costs. While USD 10 billion was contributed to FLR in the US and USD 1 billion across Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico, and Rwanda as of 2018, clear communication of costs to investors is still needed.
• Several new initiatives have been launched to improve restoration monitoring and financing. These include the Global Restoration Observatory (GRO), the FAO-led Framework on Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring (FERM), and private-sector platforms like 1t.org and Terra Match, which aims to link project developers with funders.

APA

Gladstone, J., & Reytar, K. (2020). Goal 5 assessment. Forest Declaration Assessment. https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020NYDFGoal5.pdf

Chicago

Gladstone, Jillian, and Katie Reytar. Goal 5 assessment. Forest Declaration Assessment, 2020. https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020NYDFGoal5.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gladstone |first1=Jillian |last2=Reytar |first2=Katie |title=Goal 5 assessment |publisher=Forest Declaration Assessment |date=November 2020 |url=https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020NYDFGoal5.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gladstone2020goal, author = {Gladstone, Jillian and Reytar, Katie}, title = {{Goal 5 assessment}}, institution = {Forest Declaration Assessment}, year = {2020}, month = nov, url = {https://forestdeclaration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020NYDFGoal5.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }