In June the Commission adopted pioneering proposals to restore damaged ecosystems and bring nature back across Europe, from agricultural land and seas, to forests and urban environments. The proposal for a Nature Restoration Law is a key step in avoiding ecosystem collapse and preventing the worst impacts and scenarios for climate change and biodiversity loss. The law is a key element of the EU Biodiversity Strategy and aims to cover at least 20% of the EU's land and sea areas by 2030 with nature restoration measures, and eventually extend these to all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.

Therefore, the Nature Restoration Law combines binding restoration targets for specific habitats and species with all-encompassing restoration objectives for the long-term recovery of nature in the EU. In close cooperation with scientists, interested stakeholders and the public, Member States are expected to submit National Restoration Plans to the EC to display how they plan to deliver on those targets. Moreover, Member States will be responsible for monitoring and reporting on their progress. However, in a next step the proposed legislation will be discussed in the European Parliament and Council and needs to be approved by the European Parliament before coming into force.

Notably, nature restoration does not equal nature protection and does not automatically lead to more protected areas. While nature restoration can be necessary in protected areas as well, not all restored areas have to become protected areas. Most of them will not, as restoration does not preclude economic activity. Restoration is about living and producing together with nature by bringing more biodiversity back everywhere – including to the areas where economic activity takes place, for instance in managed forests, on agricultural land and in cities.