The EU Nature Restoration Law finally cleared the final hurdle in the EU Council of Environment Ministers today. More than 1 million people have called for measures to restore biodiversity with the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) Save bees and farmers. "This is a historic step. Measures are now adopted that can become an important tool in the fight against the biodiversity crisis and the climate crisis. This should go together with the urgent reduction of pesticide use, a problem that is still not addressed”, says Martin Dermine, main citizens representative of the ECI.
Over 80 % of European habitats are currently in poor condition. "Restoring nature is not 'just' about animals and plants. Fundamental processes such as healthy soils, climate, clean water and nutrient cycles depend on biodiversity. Intact ecosystems are important to mitigate the consequences of the climate crisis, for example by increasing water retention and providing better protection against extreme weather conditions. Intact ecosystems are also essential to secure the livelihoods of people. Now is the time to implement the law in all individual EU Member States quickly, ambitiously and without further watering it down," says Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, deputy representative of the ECI.
Von der Leyen’s European People's Party (EPP) conducted an unprecedented disinformation campaign against the EU nature conservation package, thereby defending the interests of the intensive farming lobby and industry. The EPP blocked the negotiations on the law with an alleged threat to food security, a decline in agricultural production, an increase in imports, rising food prices and even the threat of expropriation of farmers. "Today, common sense prevailed. Following approval in the EU Parliament, the Member States in the Council have now also cleared the way for the important re-naturalisation of our habitats, for the sake of future generations," says Martin Dermine.
Contact Martin Dermine, martin [at] pan-europe.info, +32 486 32 99 92
