EU Commissioner Virginijus SinkeviÄius for Environment, ensuring the environment, oceans and fisheries introduced a new Nature Restoration Law.
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"Indeed, this is an important day for Europe's biodiversity, for our climate ambition and climate mitigation. For our food security and for our citizens who have been very clear and loud by asking the EU to act for nature.
"The new law on Nature Restoration really does break new ground – it's the first EU-wide, comprehensive restoration law of its kind.
"For the past thirty years, our main focus has been on protection, and safeguarding natural areas. That was and will always be crucial. But it is no longer enough to reverse the loss of biodiversity in Europe.
"Too much of our nature has already been destroyed or degraded over the years: 81% of EU-protected habitats are in poor condition, with 36% deteriorating and only 9% improving.
"That is simply unacceptable.
This proposal addresses the missing link in our acquis – ecosystems that have been damaged and are holding Europe back. By restoring them, we're bringing up the level of our nature across the Union.
"In practice, this law requires that by 2030 effective restoration measures are in place on 20% of the Union's land and sea areas.
"It also requires that, by 2050, restoration measures address all ecosystems in need of restoration.
"It blends those overarching objectives with targets for specific ecosystems, pollinators, birds, urban ecosystems and so forth.
"I won't go into every single detail, but I will just mention few examples.
We seek to stop net loss of green urban spaces by 2030, and increase it by 5% until "2050.
"We also suggest minimum of 10% tree canopy cover in every European city, town, and suburb, and net gain of green space that is integrated to buildings and infrastructure.
"We aim to remove river barriers so that at least 25000 kilometers of rivers in Europe would be turned into free-flowing rivers by 2030.
"And that is only a small part of targets.
"But what we're presenting today isn't just about nature – it's much more than that.
"When you prevent soil erosion, you're acting on food security not only in the long, but also in the short term. When you restore wetlands, you're avoiding floods in the cities downstream.
"And of course it's extremely important for the climate. Nothing removes carbon more efficiently than our forests, wetlands and seas. We have a lot of knowledge now about the climate benefits of nature-based solutions.
"With this new law, we can start putting all this into practice.
"Lastly, on the price tag. We finally must stop living in a myth that nature protection and restoration is a cost without return.
"This proposal will save Europe vast sums of money.
"For restoration, for every €1 we invest, we get a return of at least €8, from the benefits healthy ecosystems provide.
"And yet I do not know of any efficient technology that can replace the vast extent of benefits that natural ecosystems provide.
"So the most expensive thing we can do is to fail to act and to loose them.
"Moreover, those investments can come from all directions – public and private funds, or corporate engagement. And there are many co-funding opportunities in the EU budget.
"We do have a Climate Law for climate crisis and it was a call for countries around the world to follow our climate ambition.
"This is a law for nature. And I am proud that we are proposing it right on time also to our global partners, as yesterday it was confirmed that long-awaited COP15 will finally take place in December in Montreal.
"The new Nature Restoration Law will show the entire world that the EU is serious about nature. It will be our ace and will help us to promote an ambitious international framework for biodiversity." ■