Europe adopts a binding law to restore nature
In July 2024, the European Nature Restoration Regulation came into force — a world first. For the first time, a major economic area has legally committed to repairing the ecosystems it has degraded: 20% of land, 25,000 km of rivers, 3 billion trees.
In July 2024, the European Nature Restoration Regulation (Regulation 2024/1991) entered into European law. This is not a sustainable development goal or a statement of intent: it is a legal obligation.
The text is precise. By 2030, restoration measures must cover at least 20% of EU land and 20% of marine areas. At least 25,000 kilometres of watercourses must be restored to free-flowing condition — rivers currently blocked by obsolete dams or channelled against their nature. At least 3 billion additional trees must be planted in accordance with ecological principles. By 2050, the objective extends to all ecosystems that need it.
What distinguishes this regulation from its predecessors is its binding character. Member States will have to demonstrate their progress — not merely promise it.
The European Commission estimated that every euro invested in nature restoration generates between 4 and 38 euros in ecosystem services: filtered water, fertile soils, flood protection, carbon storage.
This is not altruism. It is long-term calculation — inscribed, for the first time, in law.
Further reading: The Rewilding Revolution: How Europe Is Bringing Its Territories Back to Life