Knock-back for Nature Restoration Law in last-minute political wrangling

The law, which would apply to all EU member states, was voted through by a majority of MEPs last month.

It was due to be formally approved by environment ministers at a Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels next Monday.

However, what was expected to be a rubber-stamping exercise has turned into a bitter row with several member states declaring in pre-Council talks this week that they will not accept it and others abstaining.

Hungary, which previously supported the law, wavered during the week and despite being given extra time to finalise its stance by today, has still not declared one way or the other.

Finalisation of the law has now been taken off Monday’s agenda..

While that does necessarily mean the legislation is dead, Monday is the last scheduled meeting of environment ministers before the European elections in June and unless the issue can be resolved over the weekend, the prospects for it look bleak.

Environmental organisations expressed shock and dismay, saying the law had been “held hostage by last-minute political manoeuvres”.

“This law, the most significant piece of nature legislation in the EU since the 1990s, now faces an uncertain future, contradicting the EU’s stated commitment to biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability,” the EU-wide Restore Nation coalition said.

“The failure to enact the Nature Restoration Law not only undermines the EU’s commitment to environmental protection – it also jeopardises the EU’s decision-making processes on other crucial files, including the achievement of its ambitious climate targets.”

The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of Irish NGOs, said the EU’s ambition to be a global leader in response to the biodiversity crisis was “in tatters”.

“This is a betrayal of citizens’ wishes and our shared future,” it said.

The law has had a difficult passage since it was proposed in June 2022 with the aim of restoring degraded habitats and ecosystems across the EU.

At its core is the target of restoring 20pc of land and sea areas to health by 2020 and 90pc by 2050.

It was fiercely fought by farming and forestry interests, fearing interference with land use, but a compromise agreement that participation by individuals would be voluntary helped ease opposition.

It got through February’s vote by MEPs despite continued resistance by the largest political grouping in the European Parliament, the EPP.

However, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands have indicated they w vote against it at Council stage while Belgium, Austria, Poland and Finland said they would abstain.

Hungary’s u-turn on supporting it means there is not a qualified majority to allow it pass into law.

The Irish Farmers Association has welcomed the development, saying the law should be “parked” until after the June elections.

An Irish government source said it was “extremely disappointing that politics is being played with nature”.

The source added, however: “The Nature Restoration Law has made it over some tough hurdles and we’re not giving up on it.”