Support EU for weakened Nature Restoration Act

A majority of EU countries today agreed to the proposal for an amended Nature Restoration Act. An important change is that it is no longer about restoring a certain percentage of all habitats, but a percentage of the total surface area across the EU. The Netherlands (through Minister Christianne van der Wal) is also against the modified version.

EU countries' environment ministers have agreed that Member States should take remedial action to restore at least 2030% of the total area of ​​degraded terrestrial and aquatic (marine and freshwater) habitats to good health by 30. state. In the original proposal this was 60% and did not apply to the total area, but to each habitat group.

Another important change is that the prohibition on deterioration has been weakened to a best-efforts obligation. If the law is passed, Member States have until 2030 to assess the status of 90% of terrestrial habitats and 50% of wetlands. By 2050, the state of all habitats must be known.  

Specific interests
Another adjustment is that the plans will be submitted step by step until 2050 and not at once for the entire period. Member States may also take specific interests into account. For the production of green energy and national defense, an exception can be made for nature restoration and/or deterioration. A new provision has also been included to provide an overview of the financial resources available from the EU for the implementation of the plans.

Previously, there was a lot of resistance to the Nature Restoration Act. The Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament voted against. The law is not there yet. Negotiations are continuing on the law, which must ultimately be approved by the Council and the European Parliament. 

Linda van Eekeres

Linda van Eekeres is co-writing editor-in-chief. She mainly focuses on macro-economic developments and the influence of politics on the agricultural sector.

l.vaneekeres@boerenbusiness. Nl

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