Europe Approves Landmark Nature and Climate Deal, Despite Opposition
After tense negotiations, the European Parliament has voted in favor of a groundbreaking nature and climate deal. The legislation includes legally binding targets to protect and restore nature in the European Union (EU), as well as requirements for countries to introduce measures to restore nature on a fifth of their land and sea by 2030.
The law, which narrowly passed with 336 votes for, 300 against, and 13 abstentions, is the first major piece of legislation aimed at protecting biodiversity in the EU in the past 30 years. Its goal is to improve or reestablish biodiverse habitats, reverse the decline of pollinating insects, and restore important marine habitats like seagrass.
The world is currently facing a biodiversity crisis, with land clearing, pollution, and climate change contributing to a rapid decline in species populations. Some scientists warn that we are entering a sixth mass extinction, with nearly half of the planet’s species experiencing significant declines.
Greenpeace’s Central and Eastern Europe biodiversity project manager, Špela Bandelj, sees the vote as a sign of hope. She said, This vote shows that there is still hope to restore and grow what’s left. As another unprecedented heatwave grips Europe, it’s clear that to survive climate breakdown and ensure food supplies, we’ll need nature on our side.
The vote followed months of negotiations that exposed deep divisions within the European Parliament. The European People’s Party (EPP), the largest lawmaker group in the EU Parliament, led a campaign against the legislation, questioning its financial implications and potential negative impact on the farming industry.
Despite opposition from the EPP, the law gained support from several of its members, including Frances Fitzgerald of Ireland. Fitzgerald stated, I cannot in good conscience and good faith vote against this law. We need to protect biodiversity. We need this law to protect our citizens, our businesses, and, above all, the future generations.
Other supporters of the legislation included the Parliament’s center-left Socialists & Democrats, the Greens, the Left, and part of Renew Europe. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg even attended the voting session to show her support for the new climate legislation.
The next step is for EU lawmakers and member countries to negotiate the final text of the law, with the goal of reaching a deal before the EU Parliament elections in 2024. The nature restoration law is one of two key pillars of the EU’s 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, aiming to rehabilitate Europe’s already damaged ecosystems.
In 2021, the European Environment Agency found that 81% of the EU’s ecosystems are in either poor or bad condition. The passing of this legislation signifies an important step forward in protecting and restoring the natural world within the EU.
The-CNN-Wire
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