Nearly a third of the Earth’s land surface has already been profoundly altered by human activity, leaving ecosystems degraded and fragmented, according to a new report released at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi on October 11, 2025. The Global Land Outlook Thematic Report on Ecological Connectivity and Land Restoration highlights how the natural connections that sustain life—rivers, forests, and grasslands—are increasingly under threat.
The report, produced jointly by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), warns that human interventions are disrupting the functioning of Earth’s landscapes, which operate like a living mosaic. These networks rely on the free movement of species and the flow of water, nutrients, and energy. Findings from the report are stark. More than 60 per cent of the world’s rivers have been diverted or dammed.
The Mekong river, once the world’s most productive inland fishery, is now fragmented by dams, affecting fish migrations and threatening the food security of millions. In Africa, the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem faces similar pressures as fences and expanding agriculture constrict the centuries-old migrations of wildebeest and other wildlife, endangering one of the planet’s last great natural spectacles. Infrastructure development continues to fragment habitats. Roads, railways, and urban expansion cut through landscapes, leaving only small, isolated patches of nature. The global road network is projected to grow by 60 per cent by 2050, further stressing ecosystems.
According to the IUCN, “This loss of connectivity harms both nature and people alike. It weakens soil, shrinks harvests, worsens water shortages, and leaves communities more exposed to droughts, floods, and wildfires. Today, land degradation already affects up to 40 per cent of the planet, putting nearly half of humanity at risk. The way we grow food—combined with expanding infrastructure, pollution, and climate change—is fragmenting landscapes and driving deforestation, biodiversity loss, and breakdown in ecosystem functions.”
Healthy ecosystems act as nature’s infrastructure. They maintain water flow, protect communities from extreme weather, and support food and drinking water supplies. When restored at scale, these landscapes also store carbon, reduce disaster risks, safeguard biodiversity, and generate employment. Ecological connectivity, therefore, is not only a conservation goal but a societal necessity. The report calls on countries to integrate ecological connectivity into land, water, and infrastructure planning.
Examples of successful models illustrate the potential of coordinated action. The European Green Belt, stretching across 24 countries from northern Europe to the Balkans and the Mediterranean, forms one of the world’s largest ecological networks. In Costa Rica, a national system of wildlife corridors has reconnected forests, supported the return of species like jaguars, and enhanced eco-tourism and local livelihoods. In Bolivia, Indigenous communities use traditional agroforestry practices to restore connectivity, simultaneously improving biodiversity and economic resilience, demonstrating the value of local knowledge in conservation. The analysis aligns with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for the restoration of 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems by 2030 and the protection of ecological integrity and connectivity worldwide.
The report comes at the halfway point of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), serving as a reminder that land, biodiversity, and climate goals can only be met through collaborative action. “This is not only about saving nature—it is about repairing the web of life that people everywhere depend on,” the IUCN statement reads. The report underscores that the fragmentation of landscapes is not merely an environmental concern but a challenge to human well-being.
Restoring ecological connectivity is critical for maintaining resilient ecosystems, supporting food security, mitigating climate change, and ensuring that communities remain protected from environmental shocks. As global populations and development pressures grow, the need to protect and reconnect natural systems becomes more urgent. The report presents both a warning and a roadmap, emphasizing that ecological restoration and connectivity are essential not just for wildlife but for human survival. By viewing landscapes as interconnected networks rather than isolated patches, policymakers and communities can work toward a future in which nature and people thrive together.