Skip to content
Adopted text

Nature restoration

TA-9-2023-0277 · P9_TA(2023)0277 · PE737.282

Official HTML ↗ DOCX
✦ In shortFull text
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's amended version of a proposed regulation on nature restoration sets binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems across the EU's land and sea areas. It requires restoration measures for terrestrial, coastal, freshwater and marine habitats, and for the habitats of species and wild birds, with area targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050. It also sets obligations on urban green space, river connectivity, pollinators, agricultural ecosystems and forest ecosystems, and requires Member States to prepare national restoration plans. Member States must monitor and report progress, and the Commission may adopt delegated and implementing acts on methods, formats and indicators.

Key points

  1. The regulation aims to restore biodiverse and resilient ecosystems across Member States' land and sea areas, contributing to climate mitigation, adaptation, food security, energy transition and land degradation neutrality.
  2. It sets a Union target to cover at least 20% of land and 20% of sea areas with effective area-based restoration measures by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.
  3. Member States must put in place restoration measures in Natura 2000 sites for habitat types not in good condition, re-establish habitat types to reach favourable reference area, and improve quality and quantity of species' habitats.
  4. For marine ecosystems, Member States must restore at least 30% by 2030, 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050 of the area of groups 1–6 of habitat types not in good condition, and set a percentage for group 7 by 2050.
  5. Member States must ensure no net loss of urban green space and urban tree canopy cover by 31 December 2030, and then achieve increasing trends until satisfactory levels are reached.
  6. Member States must inventory artificial barriers to river connectivity, remove them primarily if obsolete, and restore at least 25 000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers by 2030.
  7. Member States must reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030 and achieve increasing trends thereafter, using a science-based monitoring method to be adopted by the Commission.
  8. Member States must enhance biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems, including through increasing trends for high-diversity landscape features, grassland butterfly index and organic carbon in cropland mineral soils.
  9. Member States must achieve increasing trends for forest ecosystem indicators, including common forest bird index and three chosen from uneven-aged structure, connectivity, organic carbon, native tree species and tree species diversity.
  10. Member States must contribute to planting at least three billion additional trees by 2030, respecting ecological principles and not counting trees planted for harvesting.
  11. Member States must prepare national restoration plans covering the period up to 2050, with intermediate deadlines, and submit draft plans to the Commission.
  12. Member States must monitor and report on restoration progress, and the Commission may adopt delegated acts to amend annexes and implementing acts on monitoring methods and reporting formats.

Who is affected

  • Member States, which must put in place restoration measures, prepare national plans, monitor and report.
  • Farmers and land managers, who may face changes in land use and are supported through CAP and funding.
  • The Commission, which assesses plans, adopts delegated and implementing acts, and reports on funding gaps.
  • The European Environment Agency, which supports monitoring, reporting and the uniform format.

Figures and deadlines

  • At least 20% of land and 20% of sea areas covered by restoration measures by 2030.
  • At least 30% by 2030, 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050 of marine habitat groups 1–6 not in good condition.
  • At least 90% of habitat area in good condition for terrestrial habitat types.
  • Restore at least 25 000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers by 2030.
  • No net loss of urban green space and tree canopy cover by 31 December 2030.
  • Plant at least three billion additional trees by 2030.
  • Commission to report on funding gaps within 12 months of entry into force.
  • Member States to submit draft national restoration plans within 24 months of entry into force.

Legal basis: Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.