EU, the agreement on the Law for the restoration of nature:what does it involve and what are the objectives

The three European institutions have reached an agreement on one of the most contested pillars of the Green Deal

It may not be the original and most ambitious version, but it is certainly a measure of historic significance.In recent days, the three European institutions - Commission, Council and Parliament - have reached an agreement on the Law for the restoration of nature.This is one of the most contested pillars of the Green Deal, on which the right and centre-right groups in the European Chamber they opposed long.Last July, the vote of the European Parliament saw a split among the People's Party, allied partly with the centre-left forces and partly with the sovereignists.That green light made it possible to arrive at the so-called "trilogue", i.e. negotiations between the three European institutions.The final agreement reached in Brussels, and agreed with the member states, does not contain some of the more ambitious proposals formulated by the European Commission.But it prevented one of the symbolic measures of the European green agenda from completely foundering.

The objectives for 2030 and 2050

What makes the law particularly innovative is the fact that for the first time it does not limit itself to providing for the protection of the natural areas most at risk.But regulations are introduced to restore nature where it has already been degraded.In fact, according to Brussels estimates, 80% of European habitats are in poor condition.The objectives set by the regulation are ambitious:restore at least 20% of the EU's land and marine areas by 2030 and restore all ecosystems by 2050.In order for these targets to be respected, member countries will have to commit to restoring at least 30% of the habitat types covered by the new law to good condition by 2030.Increasing the share to 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050.To do this, individual governments will need to adopt a national nature restoration plan, detailing how they intend to achieve the goals set by the new law.Along with restoration, there is then the issue of maintenance.Once a natural area has achieved good health, governments will also need to ensure that it does not deteriorate again.

Agriculture and forestry

Regarding the restoration of land for agricultural use, one of the most debated points of the regulation, EU countries will have to commit to improving the performance of three indicators.That is, the so-called "grassland butterfly index", the share of agricultural land with high biodiversity and the carbon stock in cultivated mineral soil.As regards forests, the indications contained in the new law oblige EU countries to increase the number of tree species present.And, above all, their resistance to climate change.

The Commission's 'emergency brake'

The European Commission will monitor the effective compliance with all these parameters, to which the Council has decided to entrust the task of presenting - one year after the entry into force of the provision - a report including the economic resources available at EU level for finance all required interventions.The final text of the agreement then provides for an "emergency brake", which allows some objectives to be postponed in the event of fears for food safety.In 2033, the Commission will have to review and evaluate the application of the regulation and its impacts on different sectors:agriculture, fishing, forest management and more.

The last step

Now that the agreement between the three European institutions has been reached, Parliament and Council will have to give the definitive green light to the updated text of the law.A step which, barring surprises, should be nothing more than a simple formality.“There is no time to waste in restoring the nature on which our well-being and our economies depend,” commented the new Executive Vice President for the Green Deal, Maros Sefcovic.The reception from environmentalist groups was more lukewarm, as they would have preferred to maintain the more ambitious measures contained in the original proposal for the regulation:“We are relieved to see that the negotiators have not completely disappointed European citizens,” commented Sofie Ruysschaert, head of BirdLife Europe.

Photo credits:UNSPLASH/Luca Bravo