13:13 21 June 2024
EU Approves Nature Restoration Law with Decisive Support from Austria and Slovakia
The European Union has officially approved the Nature Restoration Law, a significant component of the Green Deal, during a Council meeting in Luxembourg. Austria's last-minute change of stance, announced by Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler, played a pivotal role in the decision.
"This decision is a victory for nature. The EU unanimously supports the protection of our foundation of life," Gewessler tweeted.
Slovakia, initially skeptical, also backed the proposal, enabling the law's passage with a slim majority. This legislation aims to restore 20 percent of the EU’s degraded lands and marine ecosystems by 2030 and all ecosystems by 2050, with member states required to rehabilitate 30 percent of critical habitats by 2030.
