© Wild Wonders of Europe / Staffan Widstrand / WWF
Nature restoration

Towards an EU law to restore nature

 

We are losing nature at an unprecedented rate. Globally, one million species are threatened with extinction and the health of the ecosystems on which we depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever [1]. Europe is no exception, with 81% of protected habitats and 63% of species in the EU having a poor or bad conservation status [2].

To bend the curve of nature loss, protecting remaining natural places will not be sufficient – we need to invest in large-scale restoration as well.

In June 2022, the European Commission published a proposal for legally binding EU nature restoration targets to restore biodiversity and degraded ecosystems, in particular those with the most potential to capture and store carbon and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters.

WWF welcomes this proposal as a key tool to contribute to halting and restoring biodiversity loss and for climate change mitigation and adaptation. We will be working with the European Parliament and Council to improve the proposal in their co-decision process.

"The restoration law is a huge opportunity to bring nature back before the climate and biodiversity crises spiral completely out of control. Restoration of ecosystems like peatlands, forests and seagrass meadows can help reduce emissions and sequester millions of tonnes of carbon each year."

Sabien Leemans
Senior Biodiversity Policy Officer
@SabienLeemans

The benefits of nature restoration

 

Ecosystem restoration is not just about saving wildlife. A growing body of evidence shows that nature contributes to our overall health and wellbeing and provides significant socio-economic benefits, including sustainable jobs and ecotourism opportunities. Protecting and restoring nature and well-functioning ecosystems is also fundamental to tackling the twin crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change. 

 Health benefits of nature restoration

Health benefits of nature restoration

From helping to reduce the risk of certain diseases to boosting our mental health, investing in nature restoration offers countless benefits to people's health and wellbeing.
 Landscape Park Duisburg-Nord

Economic benefits of nature restoration

From strengthening local economies to restoring the social fabric of post-industrial regions, investing in nature restoration carries socio-economic benefits that far outweigh the initial costs.
 Veleka River after a devastating flood. Strandja Natural Park, Bulgaria. September 2006.

Climate benefits of nature restoration

Restoring ecosystems to a natural state will enable them to absorb and store more CO2 and will increase our resilience to the impacts of climate change.
For more information:
Sabien Leemans
Senior Biodiversity Policy Officer
+32 486 80 04 37
@SabienLeemans
Aleksandra Miklasinska
Communications Officer, Biodiversity
+32 456 37 60 64
@o_miklasinska