After more than 2 years advocacy, a major political turmoil, several street protests throughout Europe, the very much-needed Nature Restoration Law has finally entered into force! This historic moment marks a significant step forward in the restoration and preservation of Europe’s natural habitats and ecosystems.
A long journey of political action comes to an end
Early July 2024, the Nature Restoration Law was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. As with every new EU legislative text, the regulation became enforceable 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal. Therefore, the Nature Restoration Law is now part of the EU legal framework as of 18 August 2024 and directly applicable in all EU Member States.
Legally binding nature restoration targets will need to be followed by EU Member States
The law sets legally-binding targets for Member States to restore 20% of land areas and 20% of seas by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. It also sets obligations to remove man-made river barriers in order to improve the natural longitudinal and lateral connectivity of rivers and contribute to the EU’s objective of restoring at least 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers by 2030 (article 7).
Despite representing only around 2% of EU rivers, the target of 25.000km free-flowing rivers is a first positive step forward for migratory fish species, rivers, river morphology and all activities depending on free-flowing rivers in Europe such as recreational fisheries.
Under the new rules, Member States must plan ahead and submit national restoration plans to the Commission, showing how they will deliver on the targets. They must also monitor and report on their progress, based on EU-wide biodiversity indicators.
By 2033, the Commission will review the application of the regulation and its impacts on the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, as well as its wider socio-economic effects.
Civil society organisations including EAA played a major role in the adoption of this text
The Nature Restoration Law now enters into force after several years of advocacy and campaigning from the #RestoreNature movement & the Liver Rivers Europe Coalition of which EAA is a founder member and plays an active part in it’s work. It would never have been
possible to make this Regulation pass through the European Parliament and within the Council of the EU without an overwhelming support from anglers to businesses, from scientists to activists, from decision-makers to citizens. Throughout the course of the Regulation’s lifespan, millions of people mobilised to safeguard the future of Europe’s nature. It is thanks to our voices that the European Parliament and Council decided to listen and support this law.
It’s now time to #RestoreNature and take environmental action, all around Europe. We will uphold our EU political representatives to their obligations set out under this regulation! Let’s work together to restore our rivers, forests, seas, wetlands & green our cities all around Europe 🦋
More information
📽️ You can watch
here the #RestoreNature Coalition’s campaign recap video.
You can find the Nature Restoration Law in the Official Journal
here
Find EAA’s position on the NRL
here
Find a full recap of the NRL’s political history
here
Find the link towards the #RestoreNature Coalition Joint Statement co-signed by EAA
here