Global ecosystem restoration has limited potential for climate change mitigation, offsetting only a small fraction of anthropogenic emissions, even under optimistic scenarios. Restoration efforts are more impactful when prioritizing biodiversity, local climate adaptation, and the resilience of ecosystem services, rather than solely focusing on carbon sequestration.

None identified.

This study provides a valuable, nuanced perspective on the role of ecosystem restoration in climate change mitigation. While acknowledging its importance, it realistically assesses the limitations and recommends focusing on biodiversity and adaptation. The methodology, including ecosystem-type differentiation and prioritizing sequestration rates, is commendable and addresses criticism of earlier research. However, the identified limitations, particularly the reliance on rates over stocks and exclusion of future uncertainties, warrant a rating of 4.