In a landmark move for environmental protection, the European Council has recently formally adopted the Nature Restoration Law, placing a strong emphasis on the benefits of Nature-based Solutions. This legislation aims to restore degraded ecosystems, improve biodiversity, and enhance the resilience of natural environments across Europe, setting ambitious targets for the restoration of a wide range of ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, grasslands, freshwater, and marine environments. 

Over the past decades, the state of European habitats has progressively deteriorated, with over 80% of natural habitats now degraded. To preserve biodiversity and ecosystems, the European Commission set out to implement a Nature Restoration Law. This unprecedented legislation was formally adopted by the European Council in June 2024, with legally binding obligations for the Union and member states, who are required to submit National Restoration Plans to achieve the common targets. The law mandates the restoration of at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, with a long-term goal of achieving a fully restored and resilient natural environment by 2050.

“Today, the Council of the EU is choosing to restore nature in Europe, thereby protecting its biodiversity and the living environment of European citizens. It is our duty to respond to the urgency of the collapse of biodiversity in Europe, but also to enable the European Union to meet its international commitments,” stated Alain Maron, Minister for Climate Transition, Environment, Energy and Participatory Democracy of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region

Riparian ecosystems are addressed in the Nature Restoration Law, given that European rivers and their courses are highly impacted by human infrastructure. Over one million man-made barriers are in place along European freshwater bodies, several of which are now obsolete. The law aims to ensure better river connectivity by facilitating the removal of unused infrastructure.

The law has garnered widespread support from environmental organizations, scientists, and citizens throughout the EU. It underscores the EU’s dedication to integrating nature-based solutions into policy frameworks, fostering a harmonious relationship between human activities and the natural world.