Restoring Landscapes in South Africa (ReLISA): Nature-based solutions for climate, biodiversity and people - scoping mission

Grassland and savanna ecosystems are under intense pressure from climate and land use change. They are both habitat for wildlife and livestock and a vast natural carbon store. ReLISA makes the economic case for landscape-level restoration and creates the conditions for a just transition of South Africa’s land-use sector by restoring degraded key biomes, while recognising the socio-cultural, economic and land tenure context. On-the-ground implementation will contribute effectively to adapt to climate change, address biodiversity loss, while improving livelihoods of rural communities and commercial farmers. By upscaling appropriate measures the project will support the environmental goals of South Africa, the Rio Conventions, and the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration.