The European Parliament and the Council have reached a provisional agreement on the Nature Restoration Law, a landmark legislation designed to restore and protect natural habitats and ecosystems, as reported by ESG Today on November 13. Under the law, member states need to implement restoration measures in at least 20% of the EU’s land areas and 20% of its seas by 2030. By 2050, such measures should be extended to cover all ecosystems requiring restoration. Furthermore, the law sets out specific restoration targets for different ecosystems. To achieve these targets, Member states are required to craft their nature restoration plans tailored to the local context and submit them to the Commission within two years after the law’s entry into force. These plans should seek synergies with climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, disaster prevention, as well as agriculture and forestry.

The law will contribute to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and enhancing Europe’s readiness and resilience to climate change effects. Moreover, it aims to reverse the trend of biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystems in Europe, where over 80% of habitats are in poor shape. The latest provisional agreement required member states to take restoration measures to restore at least 30% of habitats in poor condition by 2030, 60% by 2040, and 90% by 2050. The Commission stressed the substantial economic cost associated with the degradation of nature, with an estimation that every euro spent on nature restoration could yield a return on investment of more than EUR8.

Sources:

EU Lawmakers Agree on New Nature Restoration Law

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_5662