Countries fall far short of pledges to restore stricken land, report shows

GENEVA, Aug 21 - Countries have restored an area roughly twice the size of France under U.N.-backed efforts to reverse land degradation – far short of their own restoration targets – a study by the world's largest conservation network showed on Friday.• The International Union for Conservation of Nature said countries had rehabilitated 124.3 million hectares or 10.4% of their collective national pledges.• The land is degraded by events including wildfires and drought, which scientists say human-induced climate change has made more likely.• The report is published to coincide with a meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, until August 28 to discuss land restoration as part of a series of U.N. meetings to combat drought and desertification.• Up to 40% of the world's land is degraded, U.N. estimates show, reducing food production, water availability and jobs.• In Mongolia, the level is nearly 77% as overgrazing has exacerbated the problem of increased desertification linked to climate change.• The collective target of 1.2 billion hectares made under four different U.N. frameworks involves various timelines but most converge around 2030, the IUCN said.• IUCN Director General Grethel Aguilar said investing in restoration would address biodiversity loss and also bring economic returns.• "Restoration isn't just an environmental fix, it's one of the smartest investments we can make," Aguilar said. REUTERS