The Global Ecosystem Restoration and Carbon Neutrality (Global-ERCaN) Programme addresses the urgent challenges posed by climate change, land-use change, and widespread ecosystem degradation. As no existing international scientific programme specifically focuses on integrating ecosystem restoration with carbon neutrality, Global-ERCaN aims to fill this critical gap by developing an internationally coordinated research framework for global terrestrial ecosystems.

This report, Global Ecosystem Restoration and Carbon Neutrality: Calling for Coordinated Actions for Science Advancement, presents a comprehensive science plan that synthesizes current knowledge and defines priority research areas. It is structured around four interrelated themes: restoration practices, monitoring systems, ecological mechanisms, and carbon accounting. Together, these themes provide an integrated framework for understanding how ecosystem restoration contributes to carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery, and sustainable ecosystem management across scales.

The assessment highlights key scientific gaps, including limited global datasets, uncertainties in carbon sink quantification, and insufficient understanding of biodiversity–carbon interactions. It emphasizes the need for standardized methodologies, long-term monitoring networks that integrate ground observations, remote sensing and modelling, as well as improved cross-scale data integration.

By establishing a global platform for collaboration, data sharing, and methodological harmonization, Global-ERCaN promotes coordinated international research and supports science–policy interface. The programme provides a robust scientific foundation for advancing ecosystem restoration as a nature-based solution, contributing to carbon neutrality, biodiversity conservation, and Sustainable Development Goals.