Reacting to the news, Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, said “Today’s adoption of the Nature Restoration Law is an important victory for nature and for multilateralism. EU leadership helped secure the Global Biodiversity Framework agreed at the UN Biodiversity Convention COP15 in 2022 in Montreal. Back tracking from these commitments — commitments which are similar in stature to the 2015 Paris Accord — would have deeply damaged the EU’s credibility on the global stage. While some voices may try to create confusion and spread misinformation, the reality is that investing in nature brings benefits for us all.
From health, societal and environmental gains, to supporting fertile soils and vibrant pollinators, and protecting valuable ecosystems that support farming communities as well as underpin our economies. We know that large parts of the EU’s biodiversity has been degraded or lost, so this decision will safeguard and support restoration, as the world steps up to meet 2022 targets.
Now comes the critical next step for any law or commitment: implementation. As all eyes turn to COP16 in Colombia, we need to move from talking about promises that have already been made to accelerating ambitious implementation on the ground."
Read more in this The Guardian story and the Council of the EU Press Release.