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About the Author: Alberto Álvarez

Alberto holds the title of forestry engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (ES) with a specialisation in forest management, during which he enjoyed an ERASMUS stay at Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZ). Regarding his experience, he started working as a research and innovation consultant, specialising in proposal writing with a primary focus on EU projects. After that, he developed his career at IMDEA Materials research centre as a project manager, working in all kinds of proposals and projects (regional, national, European and USA projects), some of them as the leader coordinator. He was involved also in the technology transfer of the research lines’ different results, including patent application and software registration.

On the 27th of February 2024, the European Parliament narrowly approved the Regulation on Nature Restoration by 329 votes in favour, 275 against and 24 abstentions. However, it was not until the 17th of June 2024 when the European Council, not without internal debate between countries (Finland, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden rejected the regulation, while Belgium abstained), finally gave the green light to its approval. Finally, on the 18th of August 2024, this Regulation came into force in the EU.

Goals

Under the new Regulation, Member States must restore at least 30% of habitats (from forests, grasslands and wetlands to rivers, lakes and coral beds) from poor to good status by 2030. This percentage must rise to 60% in 2040 and 90% in 2050. In addition, at least 20% of degraded land and marine ecosystems in the EU must be repaired by 2030.

In addition to these general objectives for habitats and ecosystems, the Regulation sets out some specific goals, some of which are:

  • Maintenance of urban green spaces.

  • Removal of river barriers to ensure that at least 25,000 km of European rivers are free-flowing by 2030.

  • Restoration of current organic soils for agricultural use, being drained peatlands: 30% restoration of these areas by 2030, of which at least a quarter must be rewetted; 40% in 2040 and 50% in 2050.

  • 3 billion more trees by 2030 across the EU.

  • Member States must take measures to improve two of the following three indicators: grassland butterfly index, stock of organic carbon in cropland mineral soils and share of agricultural land with high diversity landscape features.

Stances and controversy

Both during the process and even now that it is already in force, this Regulation has raised voices for and against it, being one of the most controversial in recent years in the European Union. It could be summarized that conservationist and environmentalist entities, and the scientific community and societies pushed for its approval, while big agricultural associations and unions, such as COPA-COGECA, were against it.

This opposition managed to weaken some of the agro-environmental objectives as well as led to the withdrawal of the EU Regulation on Sustainable Use of Pesticides, whose objective was to reduce the use of pesticides by half by 2030.

Even though, COPA-COGECA considers this legislation to be too protectionist, as it would reduce the arable land and its productivity, putting Europe’s food security at risk.

On the other hand, #RestoreNature, formed by BirdLife, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and WWF, considers that this Regulation “is our best chance at curbing the biodiversity and climate crises and securing a safer and healthier future for European citizens.”

Funding and economic impact

To achieve the objectives of the Regulation, the mobilization of public and private investments in restoration is essential.

The European funds that contribute to achieving the objectives described above include the LIFE Programme, the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund and the Just Transition Fund, as well as the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Framework Programme.

Specifically, in the EU’s 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework, the adopted biodiversity financing target includes 7.5% in 2024 and 10% in 2026 and 2027 of annual spending.

According to EU estimates, the monetary value of the benefits of ecological restoration will be between 8 and 10 times greater than the cost of the initial investment. The estimated benefits of its application amount to 1.8 billion euros.