The conservatives in the European Parliament’s ENVI committee voted against the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) on Tuesday morning. It required enormous efforts from the EPP to prevent the committee endorsing the NRL, with the vote ending in a dead heat: 44 in favour and 44 against. Today’s vote follows the EPP rejection of the Law in the AGRI and PECH Committees. Now, the legislation to guarantee biodiversity in Europe and preserve nature for future generations will be voted on at the European Parliament plenary in July.
European socialists and democrats are firmly supporting this vital pillar of the European Green Deal, initiated by European Commission Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans. The Party of European Socialists (PES) vows to continue our vocal and strong support for nature restoration in the upcoming weeks and in the crucial vote next month. We call for the European Parliament to support the NRL, regardless of today’s negative result in the ENVI committee.
The aim of the NRL is to preserve Europe’s biodiversity and to protect European farmers and food security from the effects of climate change. Opposing this is opposing the future of the planet and of the people.
We call on all major European political forces to fully engage in implementing the European Green Deal, by supporting the NRL in the European Parliament’s next plenary session. We welcome the support already shown by civil society and businesses to keep this essential piece of the Green Deal alive. Boycotting the NRL would go against farmers, food security, and common interest. It would also profoundly misrepresent European citizens’ concerns for the environment and the loss of biodiversity.
