Europe’s Nature Restoration Regulation

Europe’s nature is in decline. More than 80% of habitats are in poor condition. Restoring wetlands, rivers, forests, grasslands, marine ecosystems, and the species these habitats support would help to

• increase biodiversity

• limit global warming to 1.5°C

• ensure food security

• safeguard the benefits nature provides freely, like cleaning our water and air, pollinating crops, and protecting us from floods

To combat biodiversity loss and climate change the EU Nature Restoration Regulation law, passed on 18 August 2024, set improvement targets for terrestrial, marine, freshwater, and urban habitats. Member States, including Ireland, must restore 30% of degraded habitats from poor to good condition by 2030, increasing to 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050.

The continent-wide law is an important component of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, setting targets to restore degraded ecosystems, especially those with greatest potential to capture and store carbon and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters. Peatlands store carbon, wetlands hold flood water, dune systems serve as protective barriers against flooding and coastal erosion.

To monitor progress, each Member State will develop and submit a draft National Restoration Plan by 1 September 2026. This draft plan will outline how a state will reach the targets for each ecosystem. In Ireland, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) are preparing Ireland’s initial draft National Plan. Environmental assessments have been carried out, including a Natura Impact Statement and a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment. An independent advisory committee helped shape strategies, as well as input and advocacy on behalf of stakeholders, such as BirdWatch Ireland.

An important measure to protect nature and biodiversity in the EU has been the establishment of a network of nature protection areas under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive. The areas designated under these two Directives are known collectively as Natura 2000 sites. Some of the Natura sites are also designated Special Protected Areas under the EU Birds Directive, first adopted in 1979 and amended in 2009.
To enhance the benefits for endangered birds BirdWatch Ireland is developing a Nature Restoration Plan for Ireland’s endangered and threatened bird species.
Included in BirdWatch Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan is the need to:
Convince government of the necessity to adequately fund habitat restoration.
Encourage people to engage with the Nature Restoration Plan for birds.
Highlight actions that would benefit endangered and threatened bird species.
Raise awareness about the plan and advocate for its implementation.

Urban Ecosystems are included in the Nature Restoration Plan. Local governments and urban planners need to integrate nature into the built environment to ensure climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich cities.

The  requirement is an increase in urban green spaces, an increase in pollinator-friendly plants and a halt to the decline of urban tree canopies by 2030. Countrywide there is decline in pollinator populations.

This is an opportunity for nature restoration and conservation in Ireland and across Europe. It is important to be aware of the benefits nature provides for free. Without pollinators there would be no crops. Peatlands, wetlands, forests, dunes and many other habitats play a part in limiting global warming and protecting flooding and soil erosion. Rather than being considered punitive, Europe’s Nature Restoration Regulation might be seen as a parameter to protect our common Home.

In the words of Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment:  “there is no such thing as a competitive economy on a climate-stressed planet, nor lasting security in a volatile world”