Cape Town, 6 October 2025 – South Africa and Germany, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), will officially launch the Restoring Landscapes in South Africa (ReLISA) project this month on the margins of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) and Ministerial meetings in Cape Town.
ReLISA is a five-year initiative (2024–2029) funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The project focuses on addressing land degradation across South Africa’s grassland, savanna, and thicket biomes – critical ecosystems for biodiversity, water security, and climate resilience.
A side event on 13 October at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens will highlight ReLISA’s contribution to G20 priorities on land degradation neutrality, biodiversity stewardship, and sustainable land management. The ministerial launch will follow on 16 October, bringing together Hon. Dion George, South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; Hon. Carsten Schneider, Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment; Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, UNEP Deputy Executive Director; and Mr. Nelson Muffuh, UN Resident Coordinator in South Africa.
The project is designed to link science, policy, and investment to make the economic case for restoration while strengthening local livelihoods. By mobilising public and private sector financing, ReLISA will help scale up ecosystem restoration across priority landscapes, contributing to South Africa’s climate and biodiversity commitments as well as global goals under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
ReLISA will showcase how strong partnerships, innovative financing, and on-the-ground action can accelerate ecosystem restoration at scale.
Last modified: October 20, 2025
