Have the article read by OpenAI (Beta). Please note that AI translations may take some time to process.Luxembourg/Vienna (dpa) – The purpose of the Nature Restoration Law is to regrow forests, re-wet moors and return rivers to their natural, free-flowing states. The law has proven controversial, particularly because of fears of heavy restrictions on farmers.
Ministers for 20 of the EU’s 27 member states voted in favour, representing 66 percent of the population. A decision by EU member states was held up until now because not enough national ministers were prepared to back it, despite a preliminary agreement among senior diplomats last year.
The conservation law sets a target for the EU to restore at least 20 percent of the bloc’s land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. Funding for the improvements is expected to come from both the private sector and member states’ budgets, though some EU programmes – such as regional development funding – could help cover some of the costs.
According to EU figures, around 80 percent of habitats are in poor condition. In addition, 10 percent of bee and butterfly species are threatened with extinction and 70 percent of soils are in an unhealthy state.
Austrian Environment Minister Leonor Gewessler‘s decision to back the law – against the wishes of Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer – provided the necessary majority. Her decision sparked uproar in Vienna, with Nehammer saying he will seek to overturn the decision in the EU’s top court.
Gewessler may face criminal charges in Austria for abuse of office, a senior political official in Vienna said.
Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland and Sweden voted against the legislation. Belgium, which is currently responsible for chairing talks among member states, abstained.
Welcoming the ministers’ decision, EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius said on X, “We are still on track to reverse the biodiversity loss, let’s now start work together and show that EU is still leading the way.”
Confirming the adoption of the bill, the Belgian government said on X that it is “the final step before this law can enter into force.”
After ministers approved the law on Monday, a coalition of environmental campaigners, including the World Wildlife Fund, said in a statement that the vote is “a massive victory for Europe’s nature and citizens who have been long calling for immediate action to tackle nature’s alarming decline.”
German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has praised Monday’s approval of the much-debated Nature Restoration Law by EU member states, describing it as a crucial step for a healthy environment in Europe. “I very much welcome that EU member states have today adopted the regulation on nature restoration,” the Green politician said. (17 June)
The editorial responsibility for the publication lies with dpa.