Global urbanization benefits food security and nature restoration

Urbanization is often viewed as a threat to food security and environmental restoration due to extensive land use. However, by integrating urban and rural land perspectives, a different narrative emerges. Using data from 214 countries, we demonstrate that the projected urbanization of 2 billion people between 2020 and 2050 could unlock approximately 52 million hectares (Mha) of land, due to higher urban population densities. In scenarios with increased urban density, potential land savings could reach 80 Mha, meeting 55 % of the additional global cropland demand by 2050. If allocated for ecological restoration, this land could protect 1,437 species and sequester 21 billion tonnes (14–27 billion tonnes, 90 % confidence interval) of carbon by 2050. These findings underscore the positive impact that strategic urbanization can have on land use and conservation goals.