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EU nature restoration law is coming after all, EU countries agree

by AI | 18.Jun 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The European nature restoration law has been adopted after all. A green Austrian environment minister helped with a solo action to get the controversial law, which seemed to have ended up in the fridge forever, to a majority after all.

The Austrian Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler. Photo: John Thys/AFP

LUXEMBOURG – The much-discussed nature restoration law is coming after all. The law seemed to remain on the shelf due to a lack of support from EU countries, but they agreed on Monday.

The law by former European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, which aims to help stop the degradation of nature, is considered the most significant remaining component of the so-called Green Deal. The EU started five years ago with those climate and environmental plans but now faces much resistance in politics and society. Under pressure from, for example, farmers’ protests, the Netherlands and other EU countries withdrew their support for the nature restoration law.

As a result, the nature restoration law was temporarily shelved. The chances for the law seemed lost due to the growing resistance and the upcoming presidency of Hungary, which cares little for climate and environmental policy, as EU president.

A green Austrian environment minister has, however, turned the chances around. Leonore Gewessler long intended to abstain from voting, causing supporters to narrowly miss out on support. Gewessler’s conservative coalition partner and the federal states did not want to support the law. But she decided to support it on her own, even though her leader threatened to take her to the European Court.

(June 17, 2024)