What is this “historic” law to “restore nature” adopted by the European Union?

Restore nature where it has been mistreated. This is the – vast – and ambitious aim of the new legislation adopted this Monday, at the last minute (by 20 votes to 27), by the member states of the European Union (EU). This vote, won after months of negotiations, was hailed as “a turning point for nature and society” and a “historic victory” by a coalition of environmental NGOs. But what does it really consist of?

Bees, butterflies and lifting the dams

The text requires the Twenty-Seven to establish restoration measures by 2030 on 20% of land and marine spaces at EU level, then by 2050 on all areas where it is require. Various types of habitats are listed (environments with specific fauna and flora: wetlands, meadows, forests, rivers, underwater meadows, etc.): each State will be required to restore before 2030 at least 30% of these habitats in poor condition, then 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050. Flexibility is provided for “very common and widespread habitats”.

States will have to take measures “aimed at achieving increasing trends” before the end of 2030 for two of the three indicators: meadow butterflies, carbon in the soil, share of “high diversity” agricultural land. To which are added population objectives for common birds in the countryside.

States are also required to halt the decline in pollinator populations, particularly bees, by 2030 at the latest, before increasing the population, with regular monitoring.

The text finally plans to remove obstacles (for example certain small obsolete dams) on rivers in order to reach at least 25,000 km of “free” watercourses before 2030 for better “natural connectivity”.

An Austrian twist of theater

Austria should have abstained, preventing the text from obtaining a qualified majority. But, against the advice of her conservative chancellor, the Minister of Ecology Leonore Gewessler finally voted for. “My conscience tells me unequivocally that when the happiness of future generations is at stake, courageous decisions are necessary,” she declared, welcoming “good compromises and balanced measures.” His French counterpart Christophe Béchu welcomed a vote to “preserve for future generations the services provided by ecosystems to guarantee our means of production and our resilience”.

Resistance fighters in ambush

This text, already adopted by MEPs, was largely watered down following the episode of anger among European farmers. It always provokes pockets of resistance. The European Confederation of Forest Owners condemned, through its vice-president, “legislation synonymous with over-regulation and bureaucracy […] putting nature under cover. “We cannot be told from above how to manage our farm: if we think we are helping nature on command, it does not work,” also reacted the main German agricultural union.