The vote remained a nail-biter until the very end: yesterday, the law on the restoration of nature (renaturation) was finally adopted in the European Parliament.

The law stipulates that at least 20 percent of the EU's land and sea areas must be restored by 2030. All ecosystems in need of restoration should then be restored by 2050.

The European Parliament, the Commission and the Council had already agreed on a joint proposal at the end of November. A broad majority of member states support the negotiated compromise. Nevertheless, Christian Democrats, right-wing populists and some Liberals tried to overturn the law at the last minute with amendments.

MEP Manuela Ripa (ÖDP - The Nature Conservation Party) comments:

"The restoration of nature is essential and long overdue, and we can consider ourselves lucky that the plan to bring down the renaturation law despite political agreement and to campaign at the expense of nature has failed.

With the result of the vote, we are on the right path to halting the increasing destruction of our ecosystems. It is only a minimum level of protection that we have voted for, but it gives nature a chance! And that is urgently needed! According to the European Commission, 80% of European habitats are in poor condition - in other words, much of our nature and biodiversity is extremely endangered. We must therefore ensure that our habitats regenerate, that we tackle the causes of species extinction and better protect our moors and rivers, forests and meadows.

Ultimately, the vote is also a victory for democracy, because common sense has prevailed over the campaign tactics of individual parties. The Christian Democrats and right-wing populists in particular tried to overturn the entire law, even though they had already watered it down to the extreme with many provisions. In doing so, they have completely followed the agribusiness lobby. But without nature conservation and environmental protection, agriculture has no future either." 

By 2030, the member states are to focus on Natura 2000 areas. Here they have the opportunity to restore habitats in poor condition to good condition. It must also be ensured that an area in good condition does not deteriorate again.

Among other things, the member states must also ensure that urban green spaces do not decline and present measures to stop the decline in the diversity of pollinators.

In order to reduce emissions in the agricultural sector, 30% of drained peatlands are to be renaturalized by 2030, partly through rewetting.

An emergency brake is to apply to agricultural ecosystems for unforeseeable situations: Targets can be suspended if food security would be jeopardized due to a lack of arable land in the EU. 

With the new regulations, the European institutions are also responding to citizens' expectations. In the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe, they put forward several proposals to restore biodiversity, landscapes and seas.

The member states are expected to vote on the political agreement at the end of March so that the law can come into force before the end of the legislative period. Over the next two years, they will then have to submit national nature restoration plans to the European Commission.