According to a report published Thursday by the European Environment Agency (EEA), efforts must be made to restore nature and better manage ecosystems. The agency publishes an annual report on 'the state of nature' each year.
The EEA briefing lists the main evidence why European ecosystems urgently need restoration, both within protected areas and beyond, in forests, agricultural lands, seas, and urban areas.
Despite decades of commitments, many EU countries have yet to achieve long-term nature policies or reverse declining biodiversity, the environmental agency states. To change this course, damaged ecosystems need to be restored.
According to the research, restoring damaged (natural) areas in rivers, lakes, wetlands, forests, grasslands, marine habitats, and other ecosystems serves not only the interests of nature and landscapes but would also yield much broader societal benefits. For example, the health of habitats for pollinators, such as bees and beetles, is crucial for long-term food security in Europe.
The condition of forests and wetlands is vital against climate change, and healthy ecosystems also offer better protection against extreme weather and pollution, according to the EEA briefing.
The agency reports that 81% of protected habitats, 39% of protected birds, and 63% of other protected species are in poor condition. The pressure on nature in Europe primarily arises from intensive agriculture, land use, pollution, unsustainable forestry, and climate change, researchers say.
Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius attempted on Wednesday to debunk nine common claims about his nature restoration law via his Twitter account. His Twitter campaign coincided with the plenary debate in the European Parliament about 'his' nature restoration law.
Sinkevičius said it was time to dispel some myths. For example, he refuted that his proposal leads to more protected areas. ‘Restoration is not protection. Economic activities are not banned and will, on the contrary, benefit from healthier, more productive ecosystems.’
Restoring Nature does not threaten food security; rather, it makes it future-proof, the Environment Commissioner said. 70% of soil, one-third of pollinators, and 30% of groundwater are under pressure. Despite many myths, the benefits for European farmers are numerous: fertile soils, fewer drought impacts, water retention, pollination, and more.