The EU Parliament voted in favor of the Nature Restoration Law on Tuesday.

The aim of the law is to restore damaged ecosystems on land and in water and to halt the loss of biodiversity. It obliges EU member states to develop national restoration plans and implement measures such as rewetting peatlands or reforesting natural forests in order to restore degraded habitats to a good state – 20% of areas by 2030, 40% by 2040 and 90% by 2050.

The restoration of natural ecosystems plays a central role in the fight against the climate crisis. Intact and healthy ecosystems act as natural carbon sinks and absorb significant amounts of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Statistics from the European Commission underline the urgency of the law: around 80% of natural habitats in Europe are currently in a poor state, 70% of soils are considered unhealthy and 10% of bee and butterfly species are threatened with extinction.

The final approval of the EU member states is still pending, but is considered very likely.