EU member states agreed a milestone law to restore Europe’s natural habitats on Tuesday, although the key text faces further challenges in the European Parliament.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, proposed the law last year that would force the 27 member states to put in place measures to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and 20% of the EU’s seas by 2030.
The draft also stipulates there must be similar measures for all damaged ecosystems including forests in need of restoration by 2050.
The 27 member states agreed on the draft law during a meeting of environment ministers in Luxembourg.
Under the proposal, aligned with the historic biodiversity agreement signed at COP15 last year, EU states should take measures by 2030 to restore 30% of habitats in ecosystems that are in a bad condition, then 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050.
Swedish Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari said Sweden, which holds the rotating EU presidency, “believes that we have now found the right balance”.
“It’s a good law,” her German counterpart, Steffi Lemke, said. “It is clear that agriculture and the forest economy depend on nature remaining intact.”
The agreement waters down some of the initial proposals with greater flexibility, but it was still welcomed by environmental groups.
But the concessions were not enough to convince some member states like Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden, who refused to back the law.
Scandinavian countries have concerns over the impact on the powerful forestry industry while the Netherlands wanted greater consideration for intensive farming areas or densely populated regions.
In the EU parliament, right-wing and far-right MEPs are fiercely opposed to the draft law that they say could threaten agricultural production.
The largest party in the parliament, the EPP, failed to stop the law’s approval last week but it will be subject to a tight vote by the body in July, putting at risk the possibility of starting talks between member states and MEPs to approve a final law.
Environmental organisations ‘Mouvement Écologique’ and ‘natur & ëmwelt’ have also reiterated their urgent appeal to the Luxembourg representatives in the European Parliament Christophe Hansen (CSV), Tilly Metz (déi Gréng), Charles Goerens (DP), Marc Angel (LSAP), Isabel Wiseler-Lima (CSV), and Monica Semedo (Independent) to commit themselves to an ambitious law.
There is significant support for the law across the EU. Environmental and nature protection organisations, scientists, over 100 international companies, as well as wind and solar energy associations have already pledged their support. It is an important measure of the European Green Deal, which should enable the Union to meet the global (climate) challenges that lie ahead and respond to the needs of citizens as well as producers.
In a recent interview, MEP Hansen claims that there are no impact studies on the effects of the law on food production in Europe. Yet, scientists clearly agree that restoring nature is essential to maintaining stable food production.
MEP Metz believes that the situation is urgent and that we should be satisfied with what has been proposed, even if he had likened a more determined stance.
The position of the ‘Renew’ group, which unites liberal and centrist parties, will also be decisive for the outcome of the vote. MEP Goerens, the Luxembourg representative of this group, still seems uncertain and says he lacks information.
“We are asking the members of the European Parliament to take the time to understand the extent to which the future of farmers, fishermen, entrepreneurs, and the economy depends on the restoration of natural ecosystems. Nature is our best ally in the face of the climate crisis. We need biodiversity for our food security, agricultural sovereignty, tourism, public health, and pollination”, argues Véronique Andrieux, CEO of WWF France.
An association of environmental NGOs is currently enabling citizens to make their voices heard in favour of strong legislation. Signatures are thus being collected via an online form and then forwarded in a targeted manner to the MEPs in charge and the relevant ministers of the member states.
More than 900,000 European citizens have already signed the form.
In the space of two days, hundreds of Luxembourgers took part in the appeal sent out last week ahead of Thursday’s meeting of the parliamentary committee. More than 1,600 Luxembourgers voted in favour of clear rules. As the final votes have been postponed until next week, there is still time to take part in the appeal. Mouvement Écologique believes that 2,000 citizens would represent a strong voice.
