Law on restoring nature: the European Parliament has passed an encouraging but weak law
The European Parliament has voted for the Law on the Restoration of Nature in plenary on 12 July despite strong opposition.
On 12 July, the European Parliament voted in plenary session in favour of the law on restoring nature. Despite amendments being passed which partly voided the law of its substance, this victory remains a great step forward for animals, nature, and our life on earth
We joyfully followed the well-attended vote on the Law on the Restoration of Nature on Wednesday 12 July. 336 MEPs finally voted in favour of the law in opposition to the 300 against. Even if it did not gain the votes we had hoped for, this result nonetheless represents a great victory given the ferocious opposition’s campaign led by the conservatives behind PPE, a right-centre group.
Amendments that cause harm to the ecological emergency voted in by citizens
The law passed is nevertheless weakened greatly by the lack of cohesion at EU level on this subject, which is in fact crucial for a liveable future on earth. Numerous amendments voted in have reduced the initial aims of the European Commission. The European Parliament has notably removed the proposed article on the restoration of agricultural land, which includes the restoration of peat lands, thus renouncing a crucial lever for increasing member States’ capacities to stock carbon. MEPs have also given in to Conservatives’ warnings by passing an amendment that will delay the implementation of the law until an evaluation of the one on European food safety has been carried out.
We remain committed to defending this European Green Deal with the support of more than one million citizens who have supported the law on the restoration of nature rallying in response to the call from more than 200 associations including us. And with our partners within the European Bureau, we are now calling on EU institutions (Parliament, Commission, and Council) to come forward in favour of a definitive law that meets environmental challenges during their tripartite negotiations.
Translated from the French by Joely Justice