Adoption of the European Nature Restauration Law

We have some very good news from Brussels. The European Nature Restauration Law has been adopted.

The opposite was to be feared, as it had become one of the targets of farmers’ protests in the Member States. Farming unions had urged members of the parliament to support the agricultural sector by rejecting the text. Lawmakers passed the law with 329 votes in favor, 275 against, and 24 abstentions.

According to the new law, the EU must put in place restoration measures for at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems by 2050. As far as RIVERS are concerned, among others, the objective of 25,000 km of free-flowing RIVERS!

Our NGOs and allied coalitions (including LRE ) fought very hard. It deserves a big bravo.

Background:

Over 80% of European habitats are in poor shape. The Commission proposed on 22 June 2022 a nature restoration law to contribute to the long-term recovery of damaged nature across the EU’s land and sea areas, to achieve EU climate and biodiversity objectives and to reach the EU’s international commitments, in particular the UN Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity framework. According to the Commission, the new law would bring significant economic benefits, as every euro invested would result in at least 8 euro in benefits.