Puerto Varas, Chile (April 8, 2025) — As the global fight against land degradation intensifies, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are meeting to discuss key topics in restoration, including financing, best practices, monitoring approaches, and technological innovations.
Initiative 20x20, a regional movement to restore over 50 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, is convening its 2025 Annual Meeting in Puerto Varas, Chile on April 9 and 10. Since its inception in Lima in 2014, the initiative has mobilized 18 country governments and three regional programs, with World Resources Institute (WRI) serving as its secretariat.
For the first time, Chile’s Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment are co-hosting the event, marking a significant shift from previous years when the event was only led by national ministries of environment. This collaboration reflects a growing recognition that agricultural transformation is key to reversing land degradation.
In line with that sentiment, this year’s meeting theme, “Multifunctional Landscapes for Human Well-being: Supporting the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration,” was chosen to recognize that restored landscapes serve multiple functions: climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, sustainable food production, and economic opportunities for local communities.
A Crucial Midpoint for Global Restoration Goals
The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) calls for urgent action to reverse environmental degradation. This year’s meeting provides an opportunity for stakeholders to assess progress, refine strategies, and accelerate implementation as they reach the decade’s halfway mark.
“Chile’s ongoing efforts in conservation and restoration as part of the National Landscape Restoration Plan set an important precedent for the region. By bringing together the agriculture and environment sectors, the Chilean government is demonstrating how national leadership can turn restoration pledges into real impact in diverse landscapes,” said Rene Zamora Cristales, Initiative 20x20 Director at World Resources Institute.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the land use and forestry sector account for 40% of the region’s greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the urgent need for innovative agricultural solutions that balance productivity with ecosystem health.
“Chile and President Gabriel Boric Font’s administration are committed to restoring productive landscapes and are working toward a transition to sustainable agricultural and forestry systems,” said Esteban Valenzuela, Minister of Agriculture, Chile. “For us, participating in this Initiative 20x20 meeting is important because restoring our landscapes is not only essential to recover biodiversity but also to ensure the sustainability of our agricultural and forestry systems — key pillars of our economy and our communities’ well-being."
"Chile’s natural heritage is increasingly threatened by land degradation, wildfires, drought, land-use change, poor management practices, and invasive species — challenges that are further intensified by climate change. said Maisa Rojas, Minister of Environment, Chile. “That is why we have set an ambitious goal: to restore our landscapes and ecosystems by 2030. To achieve this, we are aligning our efforts through the National Landscape Restoration Plan, a policy backed by international funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Uniting Partners to Drive Restoration Forward
The meeting will also provide a platform for partners to align their efforts, share insights and strengthen commitments toward effective restoration in Latin America and the Caribbean. This year, it will also serve as a launchpad for Initiative 20x20’s new strategy from 2024 to 2030, developed by over 60 partners from across the region as a means to strengthen the network.
“The Initiative 20x20 Annual Meeting is important to maintain a multistakeholder dialog to discuss how governments can support private sector to catalyze the implementation of restoration at scale. Different public incentives such as direct payments, tax reliefs, and credits are key factors to accelerate implementation,” said Ronnie de Camino, Senior Advisor of Forestry and Climate Change Fund.
Gaston Fulquet, Regional Coordinator, Wetlands International LAC, highlighted the importance of knowledge sharing in restoration and Initiative 20x20’s role in facilitating this exchange.
"Restoration is only as effective as the science and best practices that guide it. This Annual Meeting is a great platform for driving ecosystem restoration in Latin America. It fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and policy innovation—helping governments and partners scale up restoration."
About Initiative 20x20
Initiative 20x20 is a country-led effort to protect and begin restoring 50 million hectares of land in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2030. Since its launch at COP20 in Lima in 2014, the partnership has mobilized 18 country governments and three regional programs to commit to this goal. Initiative 20x20 unites over 120 technical and financial partners, with World Resources Institute (WRI) serving as its secretariat.
Media Contact:
Jerin Tan, Communications Manager
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Photo by Hector Perez