Sources: https://www.restorenature.eu/en, https://www.wwf.eu/campaigns/restorenature/, https://www.ecolise.eu/
Editing and Commentator: Jason Nardi, Ripess General Delegate
After a troubled legislative process, marked by an unprecedented disinformation campaign by the agro-industrial lobbies, the EU Environment Council finally adopted the Nature Restoration Law on 18 June 2024.
Despite boycotts and attempts to scuttle the measure, the EU Member States kept their commitments and, respecting the previous vote of the Euro Parliament, approved this EU Regulation with a qualified majority. Austria’s vote was decisive, changing its previous position and allowing the approval. On the other hand, the position of the Italian government as that of a few others, which opposed the measure and went against the constitutional values of defending the environmental heritage and against the European Green Deal, was a serious political threat.
The Nature Restoration Law survived, but was seriously weakened in the process. The opposition showed that it would do anything to deny European citizens a first law that would simultaneously address the climate and biodiversity crises.
The final result, which was by no means a foregone conclusion, rewards the commitment of the #RestoreNature coalition (promoted by BirdLife Europe, ClientEarth, EEB and WWF Europe and joined last year by RIPESS Europe) and takes up the call of civil society and the world of scientific research. The massive public mobilisation in recent years (over 1 million signatures and messages from citizens have been collected, repeated appeals from over 6000 scientists, 100 companies, youth and civil society organisations to defend the integrity of the EU Green Deal.
This law represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring Nature back to Europe and will set legally binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems. It is our best chance to stem the biodiversity and climate crises and ensure a safer and healthier future for Europe’s citizens.
Europe is the fastest warming continent and we desperately need to protect our citizens, nature and economy. The #RestoreNature coalition is now preparing for the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law to ensure that our Nature can recover for the benefit of all.
We will continue to follow the campaign as RIPESS Europe and as part of the Communities for Future platform, with ECOLISE and other concerned networks.
PS: To celebrate this monumental achievement and prepare for the implementation of the law, the #RestoreNature campaign is giving away exclusive t-shirts and posters … by 21 July 2024.
To participate, simply complete the quiz: https://www.restorenature.eu/en/giveaway
