Environmental groups urge political parties to support the vote in the European Parliament to ratify the agreement on the Nature Restoration Regulation
- In the run-up to a decisive vote, Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth, Ecologists in Action, Greenpeace, Oceana, SEO/BirdLife and WWF underline the importance of the upcoming vote on the Regulation on Nature Restoration.
- Next Wednesday, November 29, the Environment Committee of the European Parliament must endorse the agreement reached between the Council of the European Union, the Commission and the European Parliament regarding the Regulation.
After months of negotiation, on November 9, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission and the European Parliament agreed on the text of the Regulation on Nature Restoration. In recent months, the standard has sparked a strong opposition campaign that has resulted in the loss of the initial ambition of the text presented by the Commission in June 2022. However, the standard lays the foundations to begin the urgent restoration of degraded ecosystems. . Thus, the final agreed text includes recovering the 20% of degraded terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030 and all of them by 2050 inside and outside the Natura 2000 Network. It also includes restoration and river connectivity objectives that affect at least 25,000 kilometers. of rivers, reversing the decline in pollinator populations and diversity, and restoring forest ecosystems and urban ecosystems. The text also incorporates, although in a weakened form, the necessary restoration of agricultural ecosystems, drained peatlands and measures to promote marine restoration through adequate fisheries management. Once ratified, Member States will have 24 months to prepare National Restoration Plans.
This agreement constitutes a significant opportunity for Spain, a country especially vulnerable to climate change and biodiversity loss. This regulation will not only open the doors to new funds from the European Union, but will also mobilize private investments, backed by studies that show that each euro invested in nature restoration generates an estimated return between 8 and 32 euros.
The new Nature Restoration Regulation offers Spain a unique opportunity to promote the general interest. By approving and implementing effective restoration measures, we will not only contribute to the preservation of our ecosystems, but will also create jobs and improve the livelihoods of communities across the country.
The focus of the regulation is not limited solely to environmental considerations; It represents a unique opportunity for agricultural and fishing activity in Spain. The organizations highlight the fundamental role that farmers and fishermen play as custodians of nature. There are more and more examples that demonstrate that the naturalization of agricultural fields not only benefits the environment, but also creates economic opportunities for the owners of these lands. At the same time, a restoration of 15 % of land converted to agriculture could prevent 60 % of projected species extinctions, underscoring the importance of this regulation in preserving the biological diversity of Spain and throughout Europe.
This law is the result of an intense negotiation between various actors with competing interests, whose agreement reflects a solid democratic commitment, based on dialogue, and which today more than ever has achieved a balanced agreement with sufficient flexibility to be defended by all parties. matches.
In this context, we call on all Spanish political parties, especially those that have been against the approval of this law in previous votes, to actively support the regulation, both in the Environment Commission and subsequently in the plenary session of the European Parliament. The opportunity presented is unique and essential for Spain to strengthen its resilience in the face of the environmental and economic challenges it faces.
The regulation not only provides a crucial legislative framework for nature restoration, but also represents a step forward in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. The collectives encourage policymakers to consider the transformative potential of this agreement for our country's natural landscape and economy.
This vote is a unique opportunity to make a difference in protecting our natural environment and building a more sustainable future. The collaboration and active support of all political actors will be essential to ensure that this regulation is an effective tool for the restoration of nature in Europe and, especially, in Spain.
