329 votes in favor, 275 against and 24 abstentions: This is the composition of the European Parliament that on February 27 approved the Nature Restoration Lawwhich seeks to repair the damaged and degraded ecosystems of the European Union.
With it, the Member States will expand the conservation measures that they already had in the areas belonging to the Natura 2000 Network, which will be the first to be treated. Furthermore, they will adopt restoration obligations aimed, at least, at 20% of land areas and 20% of marine areas, by 2030. National plans must be in force before 2050 and will have the collaboration of local communities and citizens.
According to the commission, it will be “a key contribution to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and increasing Europe's preparedness and resilience to the effects of climate change”.
In a difficult context, but with the support of science
The law, which will now have to go through the Council of the European Union, goes ahead in a context of turmoil on the part of the agricultural sectorwith the revolts that have taken place in several cities on the continent.
It is because of that the European People's Party – currently in the parliamentary majority – asked its deputies to vote againsttogether with the eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists and the extreme right of Identity and Democracy, who also presented a motion to stop the rule.
However, There were several MEPs from these groups who announced that they would vote positively to the law, which passed with a large majority.
And the law has a support and a scientific consensus that has convinced the European Parliament and that, in addition, connects with the agreements on biodiversity of the United Nations and the requests of the main environmental organizations.