Brussels – Despite attempts by the conservative European People’s Party group in the European Parliament to shoot down the new EU law to restore nature, the Parliament’s environment committee voted to approve the law. The EU’s nature restoration law, subject to fierce opposition by conservative and right-wing politicians and agribusiness lobbyists, was reported to still be on the ‘kill list’ of the EPP group, along with other ‘green’ legislation. 

Špela Bandelj Ruiz, biodiversity expert at Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe, said: “The EU’s nature restoration law is a glimpse of hope for severely degraded European nature. The law is already stripped down to less than what scientists say nature needs to protect us from extreme weather and problems with food and water scarcity, and still EPP president Weber wants to shoot it dead. Many ecosystems and species in Europe are on the brink of disappearing forever, but this law could be a first step to turn that around.”

The EU nature restoration law aims to restore nature in 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, and in all degraded areas by 2050. In 2021, the European Environment Agency found that 81% of the EU’s protected ecosystems are in either a ‘poor’ or ‘bad’ condition. The European Parliament will now vote on the law in its plenary session, followed by approval by national governments early next year.

Contacts:

Špela Bandelj Ruiz – biodiversity expert at Greenpeace Central- and Eastern Europe: +38630425478 , [email protected]

Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 1911, [email protected]

For breaking news and comment on EU affairs: www.twitter.com/GreenpeaceEU

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We do not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties. Greenpeace has over three million supporters, and 26 independent national and regional organisations with offices in more than 55 countries.

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