Although the agreed Nature Restoration Law has been generally welcomed at EU level, some criticise its ambition, particularly in relation to peatland restoration.
A provisional political agreement between the European Parliament and the EU Council was reached on the controversial law last night (Thursday, November 9).
The text sets targets to restore 30% of drained peatlands under agricultural use by 2030, 40% by 2040 and 50% by 2050. However, flexibility will be provided when rewetting peatlands.
Strongly affected member states will be able to apply a lower percentage and reaching rewetting targets does not imply an obligation for farmers and private landowners.
An “emergency brake” will allow the suspension of agricultural ecosystem targets in the case of severe EU wide consequences on the availability of land required for food production.
Nature Restoration Law
MEP and member of the Left in the European Parliament, Mick Wallace expressed his disappointment on the “lack of ambition” in the final text, particularly in terms of peatlands.
“The percentage area targets for restoration and rewetting are not ambitious enough at all, given the climate and biodiversity crises,” he said adding that it is the “most weakened part” of the law.
MEP Wallace particularly criticised the European People’s Party (EPP), of which Fine Gael is a member, accusing the party of having dragged the law “through the mud”.
Despite welcoming some aspects of the agreed text, he believes that more nature legislation will be needed as the Nature Restoration Law will “not be enough” to halt the biodiversity crisis.
German MEP Christine Schneider, who took part in the negotiations for the EPP group, said the party welcomes that the final text has “little to do with the original proposal”.
The commission’s proposal was “ideologically driven, practically infeasible and a disaster for farmers, forest owners, fishermen and local and regional authorities”, MEP Schneider said.
The EPP said “notable improvements” in the text are that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will not be used for nature restoration measures, and that Natura 2000 areas must be prioritised.
Welcoming the agreement, Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan said the deal is particularly relevant for Ireland which, she said, has the “most depleted wetland habitats” on the planet.
While the agreed Nature Restoration Law is “not perfect by any stretch of the imagination”, MEP O’Sullivan, who sits on the European Parliament’s key Environment Committee, said:
“It is a crucial step to turning back the clock on our war on nature and discovering the benefits of nature restoration for our economy, our food production, not to mention public health.”
With the agreement on the law last night, a “fair and pragmatic approach won out over a short-sighted attempt to kill off this legislation”, Green Party MEP Ciarán Cuffe said.
“Although significantly weakened, it offers hope that we can begin to reverse the decline of pollinators and restore our peatlands,” he said adding that a final vote in the parliament is expected in early 2024.