Brussels – Green light for the regulation on nature restoration, the set of rules aimed at restore at least 20 percent of Europe’s lands and seas to their original state within the decade. A definitive approval arrived at the last minute, as desired by part of the EU Council, and with a very narrow majority, not so much in terms of the number of countries required by the qualified majority voting mechanism, but on the percentage of the EU population represented by the various ‘yes’ votes. Twenty out of 27 countries approve the regulation (against a minimum number of 15), for a population equal to 66.07 percent (minimum threshold of 65 percent).
However, in the vote that allows the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU to bring home another result, it is registered Italy’s vote againstwhich joins the mini-bloc of north-eastern European countries that censors one of the most sensitive dossiers of the European Green Deal. Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden, like Italy, lack support for the measure. Belgium, however, chooses the path of abstention.
Austria’s change of direction was decisive, until now against the text and today among the votes in favour, thus allowing the text to advance. A vote that opens an entirely internal crisis, with the Chancellor giving a no-confidence vote to his Minister for Energy and Climate, Leonore Gewessler, announcing an appeal to the Court of Justice of the EU. While the Austrian People’s Party (OVP) accuses the minister and announces that it is ready for criminal proceedings against her.
Alain Maron, Minister of the Environment and Climate Transition of Belgium, shows satisfaction. “The European delegation will be able to go to the next Conference of the Parties on Climate (COP29, from 11 to 22 November 2024, ed.) with their heads held high.” As the EU, he underlines, “it is our duty to respond to the urgency of the collapse of biodiversity in Europe, but also to allow the European Union to respect its international commitments”.
RESTORATION OF NATURE, WHAT CHANGES IMMEDIATELY
Since this is a regulation, the new rules will come into force immediately. There will be a lot to do, because it has been established that all terrestrial, lake, marine and river habitats in poor condition must be recovered by 30 percent by 2030, with binding objectives that rise to 60 percent by 2040 and 90 percent. percent by 2050. Cleaning, reclamation, reforestation if and where necessary, making it safe, are all activities that each Member State will have to carry out without delay. Priority is given to land and maritime areas: 20 percent of these will have to be rescued from degradation by the end of the decade.
In this path of restoring nature Member States must define national plans to submit to the Commission European. Strategies will need to demonstrate how to achieve objectives. Governments are also required to monitor and report on their progress, based on EU-wide biodiversity indicators.
The regulation establishes specific requirements for different types of ecosystems, including agricultural land, forests and urban ecosystems. Member States will have to take measures aimed at improve two of these three indicators: the population of meadow butterflies, the stock of organic carbon in mineral soils of mineral lands of cultivated lands and the share of agricultural land with high diversity landscape characteristics. Added to this is the increase in the population of forest birds and the fight against overbuilding, two other key measures of the regulation. There should be no net loss on urban green spaces until the end of 2030.
Member States will put in place measures to restore drained peatlands and contribute to planting at least three billion additional trees by 2030 at EU level. In order to transform at least 25,000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers by 2030, Member States take measures to remove human-created barriers to surface water connectivity.
The European Commission will return to the regulation in 2033, the expected date for an assessment of the impact of the new rules and the necessary corrective measures, if necessary. Attention will be given in particular to the agricultural, fishing and forestry sectors.
SATISFACTION WITH POLITICS
“This law will help us better adapt to the shock of climate change by adapting our ecosystems,” he emphasizes Pascal Canfin (Re), president of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament. “Contrary to what was expected caricature that has sometimes been made of it, this law does not represent a threat to our food security”, because, he explains, “further flexibilities have been provided for in the text to protect the agricultural world”.
César Luena, socialist MEP and chief negotiator of the European Parliament on the law on nature restoration, welcomes what he considers “a significant day for Europe” and praises the work carried out by the group. “LThe determination of the Socialists and Democrats was fundamental to securing this legislation. We built a majority and nature emerged victorious.”
Satisfied Terry Reintkepresident of the Greens in the European Parliament. “The blockade has been lifted,” he comments, referring to the stalemate that had arisen in the Council. “Healthy ecosystems are essential for climate, biodiversity and agriculture. This law is fundamental for the EU to reach the Paris climate target, and it is now important that EU member states fully implement it.”
He also rejoices Monica Frassoni, former MEP for the European Greens and current president of the European Alliance for Energy Saving. “Good news” the green light from the Council, he comments. And he thanks Austria’s Minister for Climate Action, now the center of an all-Austrian political tussle.
