Decision Support Platform

We have developed and applied a multi-criteria approach to optimise scenarios for ecosystem restoration, conservation, and conversion actions for strategic land use planning. Our approach identifies the most suitable locations for the implementation of these actions through linear programming, taking into account customisable criteria for biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and cost minimisation.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRIORITY AREAS FOR RESTORATION

Achieve the CBD's target of restoring 30% of the world's degraded areas using an optimised approach:

  • Reduce threats to biodiversity by

    79%

    in the biodiversity conservation maximisation and climate change mitigation scenario, 41% more than the non-optimised scenario.

  • Remove

    18 GtCO2

    from the atmosphere in biodiversity conservation maximisation and climate change mitigation scenario, which is 99% more than the non-optimised scenario.

  • Decrease by

    US$ 2.908

    the cost per hectare restored in the cost minimisation scenario, a 68% saving over the non-optimised scenario.

DECISIONS TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD) POST-2020 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK

PLANGEA aims to identify priority areas for restoration, nature conservation, and agricultural conversion. It helps countries define their restoration and productivity objectives, contributing to the achievement of the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

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source: wirestock

Alternative scenarios for sustainable trade

Agricultural production and trade scenarios and their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services are being analysed with PLANGEA. The objective is to provide data to support sustainable global trade, reconciling costs and benefits in the agricultural chains. The initiative is carried out in the context of the TRADE Hub project (https://tradehub.earth/), funded by the UK Government through its Global Challenges Research Fund.

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source: jcomp

Sustainable soy production in Cerrado

PLANGEA will provide data on the impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services of soy production in the Cerrado. Different scenarios related to soy are being evaluated, such as the effective implementation of the Native Vegetation Protection Law and the extension of the Soy Moratorium to the region. The initiative is carried out in the context of the TRADE Hub project (https://tradehub.earth/), funded by the UK Government through its Global Challenges Research Fund.

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source: jcomp

Download publications and data

Research article: Global priority areas for ecosystem restoration

The article published in Nature's scientific journal presents an unprecedented approach to multi-criteria optimisation (PLANGEA) which identifies priority areas for ecosystem restoration in all biomes, estimating their benefits and costs. It is pointed out that restoring 30% of converted land would reduce species' extinction risk by 71% and remove 49% of the carbon emitted since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Including different biomes is key to achieving multiple benefits and can increase the cost-effectiveness of biodiversity by thirteen (13) times with multi-criteria spatial allocations.

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Testimonials

Eduardo Figueiredo

Norsk Hydro ASA

"The identification of priority areas for the conservation and recovery of vegetation, through the proposition of scenarios for mitigation/compensation of residual impacts on biodiversity, serve as subsidies for decision-making at Paragominas Mining - PA, Hydro's bauxite mine."

Neil Burgess

UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

"PLANGEA provides information on priority areas for ecosystem conservation and restoration and evaluates different land-use scenarios at both national and global scales. These findings can help develop national strategies to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at COP-15."

Rafael Loyola

International Institute for Sustentability (IIS)

"The different approaches found in PLANGEA Web support the strategic planning of conservation and restoration actions at the a national and global scales. Such planning is essential to face the global crises of climate and biodiversity and their interconnection with other global risks."