EU member states have committed to restoring 20 per cent of seas and 20 per cent of land and ecosystems under the long-debated Nature Restoration Law approved on Monday (June 17).
Minister for Environment Eamon Ryan and Minister of State for Nature Malcolm Noonan have welcomed the vote to approve the new law in the EU Environment Council.
They described the outcome as “an historic vote for nature that now provides an opportunity to reverse biodiversity loss and restore nature, thereby strengthening food security, providing safe drinking water, reducing air pollution, and sustaining livelihoods and wellbeing for every European into the future”.
The final compromise text proposed regulation had been previously approved by the European Parliament in a plenary session in Luxembourg on February 27th, and was adopted by qualified majority vote in the Council of Environment Ministers.
Noonan said that “we can be proud that Ireland has demonstrated real leadership on nature restoration throughout this process”.
“Twelve of our thirteen MEPs voted in favour of the law in February, and they should be commended for that. The Government has also supported the Nature Restoration Law at every step, as has the Dáil - members voted 121 to 9 in favour of nature restoration last year,”he said.
Ryan said that “large-scale restoration of nature has the potential to strengthen Europe and to provide additional income streams for farmers, foresters, fishers and other landowners”.
“It will create jobs and stimulate downstream industries, such as eco-tourism, bringing real stimulus to rural economies. It’s already happening. Tens of thousands of farmers across the country are already taking part in schemes, projects and programmes to restore nature,”he said.
Ryan described farmers as “the frontline heroes in climate action”, and said the Government want to “work collaboratively, to restore nature and to ensure that farmers and rural communities are well rewarded and can thrive”.
Ireland’s fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan was launched on January 25th and commits to putting a National Restoration Plan in place by 2026.
This would contribute to the ambition of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and global restoration targets, the two ministers say.
Work has already started on a participatory stakeholder engagement process to support the development of the National Restoration Plan over the next 24 months, they said.
Led by an independent chair, this programme will comprise a series of interactive workshops aligned with key themes focussing on the impact of the regulation on marine, land and urban environments, they said.
Completion of the plan will be aligned with the opening of the Government’s €3.15bn Climate and Nature Fund in 2026 and this fund is expected to play an important role in resourcing the measures in the National Restoration Plan, they said.
