European Parliament adopts nature restoration law

336 votes for, 300 against, 13 abstentions. MEPs gave the green light on Wednesday July 12 to a bill aimed at restoring ecosystems. One year before the European elections, this flagship text of the EU’s Green Pact had become the emblem of a political battle. This legislation, proposed in mid-2022 by Brussels, aims to impose on States binding objectives for the restoration of land and marine areas damaged by pollution or intensive exploitation, to preserve biodiversity, in line with the COP15 agreement. to Montreal. “First victory for the restoration of nature!” thus greeted the rebellious MEP Manon Aubry. an adoption “hard fought”, underlines Pascal Durand, the ecologist MEP.

The text was in fact opposed by right-wing and far-right elected officials who tried to block him. As with other texts of the Green Pact, the Conservatives said they were worried about the impact on agriculture, fishing or renewable energies. “Restoring nature should not sign the death warrant of all economic, industrial, forestry and agricultural production in Europe”hammered the French Anne Sander (Les Républicains).

In a concurrent demonstration, a hundred climate activists led by Greta Thunberg on the contrary defended the project. “To mitigate climate crisis and biodiversity loss, we need to restore more nature. Science has proven it”told AFP the young Swedish activist, hoping for a vote “as wide as possible” in favor of the text. MEPs will now have to negotiate the content with the Member States.