EU Nature Conservation Law for More Wetlands and Forests

There was intense debate in Brussels over the EU nature conservation law, but now negotiators from the member states and parliament have reached a compromise. However, the law could still fail in the end.

To restore nature in the EU, there are plans to reforest more forests, re-wet wetlands, and restore rivers to their natural state in the future. Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states agreed on a contentious nature conservation initiative overnight on Friday.

According to the agreement, EU member states commit to taking measures by 2030 to restore nature on 20% of EU land surfaces and in the sea. “Europe is committed not only to preserving and protecting nature but also to restoring it,” said Teresa Ribera, Spain’s Minister of Ecological Transition. Spain currently holds the EU Council Presidency.

The background to the law is that, according to the EU, around 80% of habitats in the European Union are in poor condition. In addition, 10% of bee and butterfly species are threatened with extinction, and 70% of soils are in an unhealthy state. EU countries stated that the number of wild pollinating insect species in Europe has dramatically declined in recent decades. To counteract this, the regulation stipulates that member states must take measures to reverse the decline by 2030 at the latest.

Christian Democrats wanted to prevent the law

The law was preceded by intense controversy, in part because strict regulations for farmers were feared. In particular, Christian Democrats were vehemently opposed to the initiative and sought to halt it completely. However, a motion to reject the law did not receive a majority in parliament in the summer. With the compromise now negotiated, farmers will not be required to allocate a specific percentage of their land to environmentally friendly measures, which had been a concern for farmers.

The agreed-upon compromise still needs to be formally approved by the EU member states and the European Parliament. Normally, this is a formality. However, in this case, it is not entirely certain that enough Christian Democrats from the EPP will vote in favor of the compromise to secure a sufficient majority in parliament.

Compromises “painful” for Greens

“The EPP group will carefully examine and consider today’s results before the upcoming decisions in the Environment Committee and in plenary,” said CDU negotiator Christine Schneider. Nature conservation and climate goals go hand in hand with agriculture and forestry. EU agricultural policy funds should not be used for measures under the law. She was pleased that the other factions had moved towards the Christian Democrats on many key concerns.

Jutta Paulus, the Green MEP involved in the negotiations, spoke of some painful compromises. However, it is important to send the signal that the EU takes international commitments seriously. The Christian Democrats had secured significant relaxations in the negotiations. The EU Commission welcomed the outcome of the negotiations.

WWF disappointed

The EU countries are expected to implement measures by 2030 on at least 20% of land and marine areas to restore them to a good condition. The environmental organization WWF spoke of loopholes in the law in a statement. They found many exceptions and flexibility in the commitments of the EU countries to be disappointing.