“Generation Restoration wonderfully weaves together the most important ingredients of how we can heal ourselves and the planet. The book is the culmination of Tim’s last twenty-nine years of work and life experience.
Experience that has included leading parts of the United Nations’ Environment Programmes to his current role as VP of Climate Action at Salesforce.
It is hard to imagine anyone better placed to illustrate to the human race how restoration is the key to health, wealth and happiness. We are nature. When we restore nature, we restore ourselves.
Read Generation Restoration to find out how.” Jackie De Burca
What if the next step in human evolution is learning to restore rather than extract?
In this episode, Jackie de Burca speaks with first-time author and renowned nature leader Tim Christophersen to explore his new book, Generation Restoration (launching 14 October 2025).
From East Africa’s shrinking migrations to a small Danish farm buzzing back to life, Tim makes the case that restoration at planetary scale is not only possible—it’s already underway.
Tim explores the concept of ecological literacy, the importance of biodiversity, and the role of indigenous wisdom in sustainable practices.
He shares insights from his personal journey and professional background, highlighting the significance of investing in natural capital and the potential for positive change through collective action.
The discussion also touches on the financial shifts in nature restoration and the necessity of cultivating a mindset of optimism for a sustainable future.
We live in a “10% world,” but we can rebuild. Wildlife abundance has plunged since 1970; the tools to reverse course exist today.
Collaboration beats competition. Forests function through cooperation; our institutions should mirror that logic.
Ecology + economy must reunite. We’re running the economy without ecological literacy; treat nature as essential infrastructure.
Restoration is a flywheel. Diversity builds productivity; give nature a nudge and it accelerates—starting in the soil.
Hope is a practice. Conditional optimism + small, local actions create a virtuous cycle: action → hope → more action.
Opening jolt: The book’s promise—humanity can become a civilization that repairs what it damaged.
Shifting baselines: From common eels in one childhood to an endangered species in one lifetime—how loss hides in slow motion.
Career arc: From global policy to private finance to hands-on regeneration on a family farm.
Beyond the “spaceship Earth” metaphor: Why mechanical analogies miss the living complexity of ecosystems.
Tipping points to avoid: The Amazon’s dieback threshold and the “flying rivers” that feed a continent.
Nature as an asset class: Private investment in nature is rising, but we need sustained, smart capital at scale.
Flagship restorations: Andes, Atlantic Forest, and South Africa’s Eastern Cape thicket.
Health dividend: Two hours a week in nature supports blood pressure, mental health, and joy.
Closing charge: Focus on a detailed positive vision—then start small and local.
Tim Christophersen is a leading global voice on ecosystem restoration, with over 25 years of experience in climate and biodiversity advocacy. He is the author of ‘Generation Restoration’, a roadmap for restoring nature at planetary scale.
His career includes pivotal roles at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and 15 years as a diplomat with the United Nations Environment Programme.
From the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement to the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, Tim has been at the forefront of global environmental action. In May 2022, Tim joined the private sector as Vice President of Climate Action at Salesforce, where he drives sustainability initiatives with major corporations and public institutions.
Tim also explores regenerative practices on his family farm in Denmark, continuing his personal mission to restore planetary abundance and beauty.