Beaten by the mobilization of European citizens the Italian government and all those who, in order to defend short-sighted and selfish interests, tried everything to prevent its approval…
Europarliament approves Restoration Law.
“An event that can change European history.” Now the Trilogue negotiations, from which the final text of the law will emerge.
“A huge mobilization has defeated lobbies and anachronistic policies, opening the door to the real ecological transition. Every euro invested in nature will produce a return of between 9 and 38 euros in the form of improved ecosystem services.”
“We greet the European Parliament’s vote with great satisfaction and gratitude, for the courage and foresight shown by a substantial part of politics in supporting a historic law that gives hope for nature and Europe’s future.”
This is stated by LIPU regarding the approval in the plenary assembly of the Europarliament in Strasbourg of the Nature Restoration Law, the European law for nature restoration.
“The Nature Restoration Law is a unique measure,” says Danilo Selvaggi, director general of Lipu, “in the entire history of the European Community. For the first time we will have a law with a function that is not only protective, as is the case with the valuable Birds and Habitats Directives, but proactive, whose principle is that protecting existing nature is fundamental but no longer enough: we need to restore lost nature. This will help halt the decline of biodiversity, address the climate issue as well as safer land, greener and more welcoming cities, and higher quality ecosystem services.
“Despite these extraordinary benefits, the Europarliament had to overcome anachronistic and incorrect opposition from a part of politics and some lobbies opposed to any real environmental agenda, which used bogus arguments and sometimes inappropriate language to stop the law.
“The success of the approval is due to the determination of the European Commission and a substantial part of the political forces in the Europarliament, but also to the unprecedented civic mobilization that supported the law: one million European citizens, 6,000 scientists, Lipu’s #wearenature campaign that informed 6 million people, more than 200 Italian organizations, hundreds of researchers, academics, figures from organizations and institutions, and prominent personalities such as Elisa, Luca Mercalli, Dacia Maraini, Paolo Rumiz, Vivian Lamarque, and Tessa Gelisio.
“Now the final stretch of the law, the negotiation of the Trilogue (European Commission, European Parliament and EU Council) from which will come out the text of the law, which the member states will make their own and implement,” continues Director General Selvaggi, “It will open a new phase, full of hope for European nature and greater health of our societies. Every euro invested in nature restoration, according to European Commission studies, will produce a return of between 9 and 38 euros in the form of improved ecosystem services, and this,” Selvaggi concludes, “is just one example of how this law can really change European history for the better.
