At the beginning of July, the European Parliament adopted its supportive position on the EU Nature Restoration Law, with 336 votes in favour, 300 against and 13 abstentions, signalling it is ready to start negotiations with the Council on the final shape of the legislation. The law was proposed by the Commission on 22 June 2022, and aims to put restoration measures in place by 2030 for at least 20% of all land and sea areas in the EU.
The European Parliament highlighted the draft allows for new renewable energy infrastructure, which is in the public interest, and does not aim to create new protected areas in the EU. Parliament also emphasised that the new law must align with the EU's international commitments, notably the UN Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity framework. Parliament stipulated that the law will be applicable only after the Commission furnishes data on the necessary conditions to ensure long-term food security and after EU countries assess the restoration area required to meet the targets for each habitat type. Additionally, Parliament envisions the flexibility to delay the targets in the face of exceptional socioeconomic consequences.
While Chapter I of the proposal sets out its objectives: the continuous long-term and sustained recovery of biodiverse and resilient nature across EU’s land and sea areas, achieving the overarching goals of mitigating and adapting to climate change, and meeting international requirements. Chapter II of the proposal establishes targets for the restoration of marine, forest, agricultural and urban ecosystems and of the natural connectivity of rivers. Article 4 obliges EU states to institute measures that are necessary to improve conditions of terrestrial, coastal and freshwater habitats. Such measures should cover 30% of areas of each group of habitats by 2030 and 90% by 2050. Peatlands are among the habitats focused by the law, as they store nearly 30% of global soil carbon. Restoring drained peatlands currently in agricultural use may save up to 25% of Europe’s land-based greenhouse gas emissions.
Under Article 12, EU countries should put in place national restoration plans covering the period up to 2050. Such plans should contain the quantification of the areas to be restored to reach the restoration targets, a description of the restoration measures planned, indications of the measures which ensure areas covered do not deteriorate, an inventory of barriers and plans for their removal, timelines, the monitoring of the areas subject to restoration, an indication of the provisions for ensuring the continuous, long-term and sustained effects of the restoration measures, and their estimated co-benefits for climate change mitigation.
The proposal comes as 80% of habitats in Europe are in bad or poor conservation status, with peatlands, grasslands and dunes being the worst affected and 70% of soils are in an unhealthy condition. In addition, fish and amphibian populations have declined, along with bee and butterfly species, one in ten of which are on the verge of extinction. The restoration of habitats through the draft law would bring significant economic benefits, as every euro invested would return 8 to 38 euro in benefits, according to the Commission.
Ireland voted in favour of the Nature Restoration Law at the EU Council meeting on 20 June 2023. Minister or Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan said the text of the legislation “is a balanced and positive one that will benefit nature and people right across Ireland. The Irish Government has worked collaboratively at the national level and with its partners in Europe to ensure that the EU Council’s proposal is ambitious and implementable. It will see increased investment in rural Ireland through voluntary and well-resourced schemes, while also bringing back wildlife and restoring wild places so that they can continue to provide us with the many ecosystem services that we depend on […] Nature is our lifeline and it’s vital that we restore it.”
Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan, commented "In planning how we will implement the regulation, when adopted, we fully recognise the numerous stakeholders that need to be involved, including our farming and fishing communities. They see the realities of biodiversity loss and climate change first-hand and its impacts on the everyday running of their businesses. Restoring nature is something many Irish farmers are already engaged in through our current and future agri-environmental schemes, such as ACRES and organic farming. The government will continue to support them to take these actions so they can prepare for a sustainable and resilient future.”