Zurich, 15 July 2025 — For Guatemala, restoring forests is a national priority that goes along with its conservation efforts. The new partnership between Restor, the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP), as the focal point, and The National Forest Institute (INAB), as the representative of the Government of Guatemala for forests outside protected areas, is an important step forward. INAB also serves as the Secretariat of the National Platform for Forest Landscape Restoration of Guatemala, and through this partnership, the country will strengthen conservation, forest landscape restoration monitoring and reporting across the country. Made possible through the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC) 30x30 Matchmaking Platform, this collaboration is an important step toward Guatemala’s ambition to meet both Target 2 (restoring at least 30% of degraded ecosystems) and Target 3 (protecting 30% of terrestrial and marine areas) of the Global Biodiversity Framework by 2030.

With Restor’s advanced technology, Guatemala can now track and evaluate results of restoration and conservation efforts under its National Payment for Ecosystem Services program (PROBOSQUE) and the National Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy, enabling greater transparency and accuracy, and access to critical data on carbon, biodiversity, water, and land-use change. The first phase will monitor 83,000 sites covering 520,000 hectares (almost twice the size of Luxembourg) - directly benefiting over 285,000 people. The goal is to double that impact by 2030 and unlock $500 million to support local communities over the next five years.

A key part of this collaboration is the use of dedicated Target Tracking dashboards, developed with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN FAO), to track and report on the contributions of Non-State Actors, including Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. By integrating national restoration records and field data into Restor, Guatemala will enhance technical planning, align with its National Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy, and support reporting to global frameworks like the Global Biodiversity Framework and the delivery of the outcomes of the Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement under the UN Climate Change Convention.

Restor’s support also includes practical tools: customized private workspaces for government officials, user manuals in Spanish, tailored user roles, and technical guidance on setting up metrics and generating specific reports. This support will help Guatemala efficiently manage and share restoration progress, both within the government and, when ready, to the public or other specific audiences.

“This partnership will enable Guatemala to improve monitoring and decision-making while showcasing the critical role of local communities in restoring our landscapes,” said Bruno Enrique Arias Rivas, General Manager of the National Forest Institute (INAB). “It represents a significant advance in achieving our national restoration goals and improving the well-being of our people.”

“This collaboration exemplifies how transparent, science-based monitoring can accelerate global restoration efforts,” said Thomas Elliott, CEO of Restor. “By providing accessible data and tools, we are supporting Guatemala’s leadership in nature restoration and enabling meaningful progress toward global biodiversity and climate targets.”

Learn how the Restor platform supports governments.

Media Contacts:

Aleenah Masud 

Communications Lead, Restor

aleenah@restor.eco

Luisa Rodriguez

Communications Lead, INAB

luisa.rodriguez@inab.gob.gt

About Restor

Creating a world where every action positively impacts nature. Restor is an open-data, geospatial platform that offers nature stewards access to the latest ecological science for impact storytelling. With over 220,000 sites, Restor is the largest network of community-led restoration and conservation efforts across the globe. Through Restor, governments, companies, impact funders and financial institutions can connect and contribute to the regenerative use of the land we all depend on. Find out more here: www.restor.eco 

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About the Government of Guatemala

Located in Central America, Guatemala boasts one of Mesoamerica's most significant forest covers, a globally vital resource that encompasses one-third of its territory, stores vast amounts of carbon, and sustains over 7% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity. The stewardship of these critical ecosystems is shared between two main bodies: the National Forest Institute (INAB), which leads policy and promotes sustainable management through incentives and licensing outside protected areas, and the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP), which oversees the extensive national park system, including the renowned Maya Biosphere Reserve and its community-managed concessions.

Visit INAB  to learn more about who we are and how we advance sustainable forest management and restoration across Guatemala.

About High Ambition Coalition for People and Nature (HAC for N&P)

The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC for N&P) is the largest intergovernmental coalition for nature, consisting of 121 countries united by a shared ambition to implement the global goal of effectively conserving and managing at least 30 percent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.