A flourishing life on land is the foundation for our life on this planet. We damaged our land through deforestation, loss of natural habitats and land degradation. Agriculture is also reliant on land health and on fertility. Land ecosystems, such as forests, harbour a staggering biodiversity of plants and animals. Achieving this objective requires bold action to restore terrestrial ecosystems, such as forests, to end desertification, to protect biodiversity, and to eliminate poaching and animal trafficking.
Juan Carlos Vasquez is the Chief of Legal Affairs and Compliance at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Marisol Estrella is the Programme Coordinator for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Disasters and Conflicts Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Peter Bille Larson is Senior Lecturer and Associate Researcher, at the Environmental Governance and Territorial Development Institute and Department of Sociology, of the University of Geneva.
Sofie H. Flensborg is a Programme Officer in the Outreach and Projects Unit of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).