The Nature Restoration Act gets the green light after Austria's return

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Environment ministers meeting today (17 June) in Luxembourg approved the Nature Restoration Act after months of difficult negotiations between co-legislators, with Austria clearing a long deadlock after a last-minute change of heart.

Belgium scheduled today's public debate on deadlocked biodiversity legislation - proposed in 2022 - aimed at reversing decades of ecosystem degradation, after failing to break a deadlock during diplomatic backroom talks last week.

The European Parliament had approved the legislation, which requires environmental restoration work to begin on one fifth of land and sea by 2030 and sets long-term targets for restoring the health of specific ecosystems, following an informal agreement last November with the Council of EU Ministers.

But what was supposed to be a final stamp from the legislative body representing national governments in Brussels was being blocked by a handful of countries that rejected the so-called "trilogue" deal.

Austria, Belgium, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and, after a controversial last-minute U-turn, Hungary, all initially signaled that they intended to either abstain or oppose the law if it were put to a vote – in practical terms, not there is a difference. But only a flip would enable the law to be passed and Austria duly obliged.

"This law is essential to fight climate change. We must provide legal certainty for the people who use the land and the land. We asked the member states to give the opportunity to work on different points on how to implement it", Austrian climate minister Leonor Gewessler said during the debate.

She noted that as a result, the Alpine state would have to change national provisions, noting two of the country's states - Vienna and Carinthia - have shown support for the law, despite initially opposing it.

However, Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer issued an official note on Sunday asking Gewessler "not to give her consent" to the Nature Restoration Act, saying the Austrian climate minister "has no right to commit" the country in such a direction.

EU countries that rejected the law cited concerns related to the agricultural sector, environmental and sustainability standards and enforcement costs.

"We are far from satisfied, we cannot accept that we are increasing the economic and administrative burden in the agricultural sector", said Italian Deputy Minister Vannia Gava.

Despite acknowledging the need to reverse biodiversity damage, Finland largely rejected the costs of enforcing the law.

"If the law is to be adopted today, I emphasize that we all have to work hard to ensure a cost-effective and balanced implementation and we hope that the European Commission will work accordingly," said Kai Mykkänen, Finland's environment minister.

"Let's leave ideology behind and work together. The time for political and ideological discussion is over now let's get on with the job,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, commissioner for the environment, oceans and fisheries.