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EU legislation strengthens the restoration of natural ecosystems

2024-03-14   

Recently, the European Parliament voted to pass the Natural Restoration Act. The bill aims to mitigate the trend of biodiversity loss and better address climate change by restoring degraded terrestrial and marine ecosystems. European Parliament member Cesar Luena said that this bill will help Europe achieve climate goals, prevent natural disasters, and reduce food security risks. According to a report by the European Environment Agency, currently only 15% of natural habitats in the EU are in "good" condition, and over 80% of natural habitats are in poor condition. This also poses a threat to some species, such as bee and butterfly species that are crucial for food production, which have decreased by one-third in Europe. To this end, the Natural Recovery Act sets the goal of requiring restoration measures to be implemented for 20% of the EU's terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030, and ultimately covering all ecosystems that require restoration by 2050. The bill also proposes specific targets for specific natural habitats and species, such as requiring EU countries to reverse the declining trend of pollinating insect populations by 2030; Promote the increase of carbon storage in forests and farmland soil, and restore free flow of at least 25000 kilometers of rivers. The bill will officially come into effect after being passed by the European Council. To enhance the binding force, the bill stipulates that EU countries shall submit their recovery plans and specific measures to the European Commission within two years after the bill comes into effect, and the implementation of the bill shall be evaluated every three years. In recent years, the European Union has introduced a series of regulations and policies to strengthen ecosystem protection and restoration. In 2019, the European Union introduced the European Green Agreement, which sets out an action roadmap for the EU to address climate change and accelerate green transformation. In 2020, the European Commission released the "2030 Biodiversity Strategy", proposing to make the protection and restoration of biodiversity a part of the EU's overall economic growth strategy. The passage of the Natural Restoration Act will contribute to the achievement of these ecological conservation goals, and has received support from institutions such as the European Wind Energy Association and the European Photovoltaic Association, the World Wildlife Fund, and the World Conservation Union. In addition to ecological benefits, the Natural Recovery Law is expected to also generate significant economic benefits. The impact assessment report released by the European Commission last year showed that the cost of restoring the EU ecosystem by 2050 is about 154 billion euros, and the economic benefits it brings are about 1.86 trillion euros. For every 1 euro invested in natural recovery, at least 8 euros in additional benefits will be added. Swedish Minister of Climate and Environment Romina Primohetari said that this bill is expected to help the European Union "improve biodiversity, address climate change, and fulfill international commitments under the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.". (Lai Xin She)

Edit:Yi Jing Responsible editor:Li Nian

Source:people.com.cn

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