IFLA Europe welcomes European Council’s adoption of Nature Restoration Law

IFLA Europe, the European Region of the International Federation of Landscape Architects, welcomes European Council’s adoption of Nature Restoration Law

This legislation aims to address the pressing issue of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation across Europe. By setting legally binding targets for the restoration of degraded ecosystems, the law seeks to enhance the resilience of natural habitats, promote biodiversity, and contribute to the mitigation of climate change.

The Nature Restoration Law is a significant step towards achieving the EU’s biodiversity strategy for 2030, which includes ambitious goals such as the restoration of 30% of Europe's degraded ecosystems. It mandates member states to develop and implement restoration plans for a variety of ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, peatlands, and marine environments. The law also emphasizes the importance of integrating nature restoration into other sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, and urban planning.

“The Nature Recovery Law is acknowledging the importance of restoration of our natural systems and the need to secure the conservation, development, and management of our landscapes to ensure climate resilience, as an extension of the European Green Deal and the new European Bauhaus Declaration” stated Katerina Gkoltsiou, IFLA Europe President.

Landscape architects possess the expertise needed to design and manage landscapes that enhance ecological integrity and provide sustainable benefits to society. Their involvement is essential in creating multifunctional landscapes that support biodiversity, improve climate resilience, and enhance the quality of life for European citizens. 

The adoption of the Nature Restoration Law marks a pivotal moment in Europe’s efforts to combat environmental degradation and foster a more sustainable and biodiverse future. IFLA Europe’s support underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in achieving the ambitious restoration targets set forth by the legislation.

Read more: On 12 June 2024, the Architects Council of Europe (ACE) and the European Region of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA Europe) sent an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and to the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, asking them to appeal to the Member States of Belgium, Finland, Austria, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands and Poland to vote in favour of the first Europe-wide Nature Restoration Law and to give up their blocking minority - in the interests of ecosystems and in the interests of Europe. The ACE & IFLA Europe letter in support of the law on nature restoration can be found on IFLA Europe website https://iflaeurope.eu/index.php/site/news-single/ace-ifla-europe-open-letter-in-support-of-the-law-on-nature-restoration

Session videos and other material available at European Council website: https://newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/events/20240617-environment-council-june-2024?gallery=Press+Conference