Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15) Montreal, Canada. December 13th, 2022 was dedicated to the ecosystems restoration talks. Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet  and its people. However, in recent decades, ecosystems have been subject to persistent degradation and loss, threatening millions’ livelihoods, well being, food and water security, and resilience.

Many countries and communities now recognize the urgent need for restoration, including through negotiations on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Whether in managed or natural ecosystems, restoration activities can only be sustained by targeted government policies and budget outlays. There is also a need for considerable shifts in consumer demand and corporate investment, as well as more inclusive and responsible governance, all of which must come together to support regenerative ecosystem management on the ground.

Led by the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the full-day event was organized to support the Decade’s rallying call aiming to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean.

It is against this background that Dr. Andrew G. Seguya, as one of the panellists, has focused on the role of science and traditional knowledge in this mission of ecosystem restoration. He emphasised that meeting the restoration challenges posed by the Decade will require the urgent application of the best available knowledge, drawing on a wide range of scientific disciplines as well as on traditional, indigenous and local knowledge,  the understandings, skills and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their natural surroundings.

The interaction of different knowledge will enable strong analyses and models for action that deliver meaningful, lasting and sustainable impact.

On behalf of Rwanda and Uganda,  Dr. Andrew G. Seguya, has received the award given by the UN Decade on Ecosystems restoration.