Abstract
In 2022 the European Commission proposed an EU Nature Restoration Law (NRL). This proposal implements the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, which puts forward the commitment to develop legally binding targets for restoration. The Biodiversity Strategy itself is part of the EU Green Deal. Restoring ecosystems is seen as a cornerstone of the EU Green Deal. Nature restoration through the NRL is essential to cope with the biodiversity and climate crisis. It is an unmissable piece of a legal puzzle.
Although the scientific rationale for restoration is undeniable and both Council and Parliament endorsed the EU biodiversity strategy’s goal of binding restoration targets, the NRL proposal became, shortly before the formal adoption procedure by Council and Parliament, the subject of a relentless counter campaign, driven by certain lobby groups and certain politicians. This led to a political rollercoaster, with unseen political moves.
The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate how the rule of law can be undermined, using the decision-making process of the EU Nature Restoration Law as an example. Secondly, it wants to show the implications for the realisation of the Green Deal, by discussing the alignment of the NRL with other laws and policies.