In June 2022 the European Commission adopted a proposal for an EU regulation on nature restoration. The proposed regulation establishes a framework for Member States to put in place restoration measures covering at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. Restoration measures are also to be put in place to re-establish and improve the quality and connectivity of habitats and species protected by the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC). In addition, the regulation sets out a series of targets for ecosystems beyond those covered by the Birds and Habitats Directives including those related to urban, river, agricultural and forest ecosystems and to pollinator populations.

Researchers at Stockholm University very much welcomes the initiative as it addresses the acute loss of biodiversity within the Union and counterpart the shortcomings of the Habitats Directive, the Birds Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Water Framework Directive. Researchers are however questioning whether the 2050 target is sufficient given the urgent need to halt biodiversity loss. Stockholm University believes that the quantitative target should be raised from 20 % to 30 %, to be consistent with and enable the achievement of the EU Biodiversity Strategy targets. Considering that many species continue to decline and are threatened despite current legislation, researchers would also like to see restoration measures cover all species classified as critically endangered and acutely endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Read the whole Stockholm University Paper on the European Commission proposal for an EU regulation on nature restoration (156 Kb)

Read the European Commission's Proposal for a Nature Restoration Law