UNEP-WCMC Impact Report

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We collaborated with partners to provide technical and scientific support to the European Commission to underpin their proposal for a ground-breaking EU Nature Restoration Law that was passed in July 2023. In June 2022, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a new law to restore damaged ecosystems across Europe. The Nature Restoration Law sets out ecosystem-specific restoration targets across both land and sea with the overarching aim of covering at least 20 per cent of the EU with active nature restoration measures by 2030, and all degraded ecosystems by 2050. EU Member States will be required to develop national restoration plans within three years of the entry into force how they will achieve the targets.

The design and implementation of these plans will be assessed, regularly monitored, and reviewed to ensure they are effective. If progress by Member States is insufficient, they will be legally required to update their plans.

Our review of existing biodiversity information and reporting underpinned the impact assessment that informed the choice of restoration targets set in the law. We also developed the rationale for the legislative proposal, assessed the degree of restoration required, proposed actions and analyzed the economic costs and benefits.