The EAA signed the Joint Statement on the EU Nature Restoration Law!

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05 Oct

The EAA has co-signed together with more than 200 NGOs a joint statement on the EU Nature Restoration Law calling on the Institutions of the European Union to adopt a stronger legislation that is fit for purpose to tackle the twin biodiversity and climate crises. The Council of the EU and the EU Parliament are still under negotiations in trilogues.

We, the undersigned 200 civil society organisations, call upon all EU Member

States, Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission to

urgently adopt a strong Nature Restoration Law that is fit for purpose to tackle

the twin biodiversity and climate crises.


We are witnessing a mass biodiversity extinction and climate breakdown,

threatening the very basis of our life as we know it. The science is very clear on

this. Efforts so far have been largely inadequate to address these crises and to

restore our relationship with nature. Unsurprisingly, increasingly frequent

droughts, floods and forest fires, as we saw again this summer, are making the

effects of these crises ever more visible across Europe. It’s clear that we need

effective nature restoration measures on a large scale.


The EU Nature Restoration Regulation is the unique opportunity of this decade

to change the pathway from continuous deterioration to regeneration, where

we steer towards a safe and resilient future of living in harmony with nature.

Restoring nature means restoring our greatest ally in tackling climate change,

restoring our own health and wellbeing, and restoring our livelihoods and

economies. Nature restoration is one of the best investments our society can

make. Yet, time is running out.


In the past months, we saw unprecedented opposition to the EU Nature

Restoration Regulation, leading to unacceptable weakening and even almost

losing the legal text. We therefore strongly call upon national governments,

Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission to get

back on the right track by safeguarding the following key elements in the EU

Nature Restoration Regulation:


● Ensure that all terrestrial and marine habitats are covered by

quantified, time-bound and enforceable targets in and outside

Natura 2000 areas.


● Ensure non-deterioration of ecosystems to safeguard investments and

long-term benefits, fully in line with Europe`s commitments for climate

and biodiversity.


● Include restoration of agricultural ecosystems, complemented by

dedicated targets for the restoration of drained peatlands.

Restoring agricultural ecosystems is crucial for resilience of food

systems and the agricultural sector. Peatland restoration plays a key role

in climate change mitigation and adaptation.


● Include strong indicators for the restoration of forest ecosystems,

scientifically valid for all forest types.


● Ensure implementable marine targets with clear safeguards, so that

the Common Fisheries Policy does not block marine restoration.


● Ensure dedicated and additional funding to finance restoration

measures.


● Ensure clear public participation and access to justice provisions.


● Ensure the Law can enter into force immediately, without

preconditions for the timely and steady implementation of the

restoration targets.


We cannot afford anymore to delay actions, to water down ambition or to limit

the scope of the law. It would only make it more costly and time-consuming to

deal with the consequences of our inaction. It would put our future and that of

all other beings at stake. We need to make it work now, we need to

#RestoreNature.


Read the full statement here.


For more information, visit restorenature.eu.


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