Тhe nature restoration law, which proved to be the most controversial pillar of the European Green Deal and almost failed at the last hurdle, sets a target of restoring at least 20% of the EU's land and sea by the end of the decade.
We are yet to find out what specific measures the Bulgarian government will take in this direction.
The main actions to be implemented by 2030 include:
creation of protected areas covering at least 30% of the EU's land and sea basins, extension of existing Natura 2000 sites
restoring damaged ecosystems across the EU by 2030 through a series of concrete commitments and measures, including reducing pesticide use and risk by 50% by 2030 and planting 3 billion trees in the EU
allocation of €20 billion per year for the protection and promotion of biodiversity through EU funds and national and private funding
creating an ambitious global biodiversity framework
Here is what the new regulation provides:
Restoring land and sea ecosystems
The new rules will help to restore degraded ecosystems across member states’ land and sea habitats, achieve the EU’s overarching objectives on climate mitigation and adaptation, and enhance food security.
The regulation requires member states to establish and implement measures to jointly restore, as an EU target, at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030.
The regulation covers a range of terrestrial, coastal and freshwater, forest, agricultural and urban ecosystems, including wetlands, grasslands, forests, rivers and lakes, as well as marine ecosystems, including seagrass and sponge and coral beds.
Until 2030, member states will prioritise Natura 2000 sites when implementing the restoration measures.
On habitats deemed in poor condition, as listed in the regulation, member states will take measures to restore:
at least 30% by 2030
at least 60% by 2040
at least 90% by 2050
Non-deterioration efforts
Member states will make efforts to prevent significant deterioration of areas that:
have reached good condition thanks to restoration
host the terrestrial and marine habitats listed in the regulation
Protecting pollinators
In recent decades, the abundance and diversity of wild insect pollinators in Europe have declined dramatically. To address this, the regulation introduces specific requirements for measures to reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030 at the latest.
Ecosystem-specific measures
The regulation sets out specific requirements for different types of ecosystems, including agricultural land, forests and urban ecosystems.
Member states will put measures aiming to enhance two out of these three indicators: grassland butterflies’ population, stock of organic carbon in cropland mineral soils and share of agricultural land with high-diversity landscape features. Increasing forest birds’ population and making sure there is no net loss on urban green spaces and tree canopy cover until end of 2030 are also key measures of this new law.
Member states will put in place measures aiming to restore drained peatlands and help plant at least three billion additional trees by 2030 at the EU level. In order to turn at least 25 000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers by 2030, member states will take measures to remove man-made barriers to the connectivity of surface waters.
National restoration plans
Under the new rules, member states must plan ahead and submit national restoration plans to the Commission, showing how they will deliver on the targets. They must also monitor and report on their progress, based on EU-wide biodiversity indicators.
Next steps
The regulation will now be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force. It will become directly applicable in all member states.
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