The motion was voted on by 336 votes to 300, with 13 abstentions. The next step will be negotiations between EU lawmakers and member states to finalize the text, with the aim of reaching an agreement before the 2024 European Parliament elections.
This decision came after several months of intense political pressure, as major differences of opinion emerged between EU countries and lawmakers over the proposal. Some heads of government have expressed concern that Europe is introducing too much environmental legislation as part of a broader green agenda.
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The EU’s flagship nature conservation legislation obliges countries to implement nature restoration measures on 20% of land and seas by 2030. The aim is to halt the destruction of Europe’s natural habitats, 81% of which are currently classified as in poor condition.
Restoring nature has many benefits for farmers, such as replenishing soils, supporting pollinators, and providing a buffer against the growing effects of climate change. It’s simple: we can’t grow food in barren soil
– European legislator Mohamed Shahim stated after the vote.
However, the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest legislative group in the European Parliament, has led the campaign against the plan, arguing that it will have a negative impact on farmers and threaten food security. This opposition arose despite the fact that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission and promoter of the Nature Protection Act, is a member of the EPP.
We are concerned that this law will be counterproductive and have significant social and economic consequences
– Books of the representative group of the People’s Party. Other lawmakers and academics have dismissed the allegations as disinformation aimed at drumming up votes ahead of next year’s European Parliament elections.
Parliament’s chief negotiator, Cesar Luena, thanked the scholars and young people who support the law, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who attended Wednesday’s assembly session to monitor the vote.
Brussels has already passed a number of carbon dioxide reduction laws in line with the overall green agenda, which includes, among others, net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But recent environmental proposals have met with resistance, particularly those that would require changes from farmers to address pollution and declining bee and butterfly populations.
Source: Reuters
Cover image: Getty Images
