The controversial EU Nature Restoration Law was adopted by the Council on 17.06.24. This regulation mandates ambitious and legally binding targets for nature restoration across the European Union, aiming to rejuvenate at least 20% of the EU's land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems requiring restoration by 2050.

The original Commission proposal was an opportunity for the EU to make pivotal advancements in environmental protection and water management. It was ambitious, and had set out explicit, legally binding restoration targets, underscoring the EU's commitment to reversing biodiversity loss and restoring natural habitats. However, the final text was significantly watered down in the Parliament.

Nonetheless, the regulation will go some way to improving our eco-systems. The regulation encompasses various ecosystems, including terrestrial, marine, freshwater, and urban areas, with specific restoration targets and obligations for Member States. For water-related ecosystems, the regulation introduces several critical measures such as restoring 25,000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers by 2030 and rewetting drained agricultural areas.

It now falls on Member States to implement this regulation to its fullest.