2023-07-10 15:25:00
DISPATCH — Halting the decline of biodiversity and repairing damaged ecosystems across Europe is the aim of an EU nature restoration bill. Currently debated in Parliament, it does not convince the Twenty-Seven.
Pollution, urbanization, intensive exploitation… According to Brussels, more than 80% of the natural habitats of the European Union (EU) are in a “bad or mediocre” state of conservation (peat bogs, dunes and meadows in particular), and up to 70% of soils are in poor health.
To respond to this scourge in the years to come, the text is based on an investment of 100 billion euros and proposes the following measures:
Introduce restoration measures on 20% of land and marine areas at EU level by 2030, then by 2050 on all areas that require it. Imposing a binding objective of non-deterioration over large areas, including outside Natura2000 protected areas. Prohibit any net loss of urban green spaces by 2030, then impose their increase by at least 5% by 2050, while aiming for 10% of wooded spaces in each agglomeration by this date. Improve the condition of peatlands, valuable natural carbon sinks, and forests. Remove obstacles (for example certain small obsolete dams) on rivers and rivers, in order to reach “at least 25,000 km” of “free” waterways by the end of the decade. Reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030 and then increase them. Expand ‘high diversity’ areas, with the indicative target that they represent 10% of agricultural land EU-wide. The expression covers various realities: hedges, ditches, ponds, fruit trees, but also crop rotation…
If the project is generally supported, the States are reluctant vis-à-vis the constraints of results and quantitative objectives. On the point of green spaces, for example, some states simply wish “not to decrease” rather than having to increase.
In addition, the Twenty-Seven provide for certain derogations for the installation of renewable energy projects or defense infrastructures.
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