The law includes legal goals and obligations to not only preserve, but restore natural habitats.
European Union countries have overcome opposition to green the historic nature restoration law that obliges member states to restore at least one fifth of the union’s land and seas by 2030.
27 out of 27 members of the European Council voted in favor of the bill on Monday, giving it the two-thirds needed to pass. The passage of the environmental regulations came despite strong opposition from several states.
Belgium abstained from voting. The environment ministers of Finland, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden voted against the law at a meeting held in Luxembourg on Monday.
The law, expected to be among the EU’s biggest environmental policies, was passed after Austria’s environment minister, Leonore Gewessler of the Greens, voted in favor in an unexpected move after Vienna suggested it was opposed.
A few #ENVI ministers came to show their support for the Environmental Restoration Act before today’s Council meeting 📸👇
Thank you 🇮🇪 @EamonRyan 🇪🇸 @Teresaribera 🇷🇴 @fechetm 🇨🇿 @hladikpe & 🇱🇺 Serge Wilmes for defending people and nature ✌️
Now, come on #Return to Nature in Europe! pic.twitter.com/EddaAJM7Vz
– WWF EU (@WWFEU) June 17, 2024
The about-face angered Gewessler’s conservative coalition partners, including Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s Austrian People’s Party.
After the law passed, Gewessler said he voted for it because “bold decisions are needed” when future generations are at stake.
“Today we send a signal: Our nature has found our protection!” wrote on X.
However, Nehammer said his government would file a complaint in the European court against the “illegal” vote.
Belgium, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said the dispute would not affect the legitimacy of the vote.
“It is our duty to face the emergency of the collapse of living things in Europe, but also to enable the European Union to fulfill its international commitments. The European delegation will be able to go to the next COP with its head held high,” said Alain Maron, climate minister of the Brussels-Capital Region government.
The regulation passed on Monday includes legally binding goals and obligations for nature restoration in a variety of ecosystems from land to sea.
“The principle aims to reduce climate change and the effects of natural disasters. It will help the EU fulfill its international environmental commitments, and restore Europe’s originality,” the European Council said in a statement.
It said the principle lists commitments for member states to take measures to restore habitats when they appear to be in poor condition, and at least 90 percent of those habitats must be restored by 2050.
More than 80 percent of European housing is considered to be in poor condition.
Yesss, we finally have the Environmental Restoration Act: 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
The EU must now act #Return to Nature – the key to fighting climate change and achieving the EU Green Deal.
Let’s continue working for a green, fair and sustainable Europe 💚 pic.twitter.com/BCdxwhtt8i
— Terry Reintke (@TerryReintke) June 17, 2024
It also includes efforts to prevent significant habitat degradation and protect Europe’s declining insect pollinators, as well as ecosystem-specific measures such as a commitment to plant at least three billion additional trees by 2030 at EU level.
Member states must submit national recovery plans to the commission, and a review of the law’s implementation and impact is scheduled for 2033.
A coalition of non-governmental organizations that supported the law, including the Swiss-based World Wildlife Fund (WWF), called its adoption “a major victory for European nature and citizens”.
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