MEPs debate on a law that would contribute to the long-term recovery of damaged nature across the EU’s land and sea areas and to achieve EU climate and biodiversity objectives. As there was no majority in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety in favour of the EU nature restoration law as amended, the Committee has tabled to plenary the proposal to reject the Commission’s proposal. Opening statement by César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, Anne SANDER (EPP, FR), Caroline ROOSE (Greens/EFA, FR), and by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries. The transcript if the result of an automated process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

SANDER, Anne (EPP, FR)

LUENA, César (S&D, ES)

ROOSE, Caroline (Greens/EFA, FR)

SINKEVIČIUS, Virginijus (LT, EC)

European Green Deal (T)

nature restoration law (T)

Key debate - Nature restoration: opening statements by César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, Anne SANDER (EPP, FR), Caroline ROOSE (Greens/EFA, FR) and by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/71309218/1688982073040_I243572Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), C&eacute;sar LUENA (S&amp;D, ES), Rapporteur, Thank you, President. Commissioner. Minister. I think the time has come to have a tranquil debate on nature. And I'm going to have one last statement that convincing you, please be reasonable for three reasons.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, Firstly, for the future. The law says that we need to restore bio ecosystems and habitats because 95% of habitats are in a poor situation. 48% of crops depend on colonisation by insects. Insects are disappearing, 70% of soil is degraded, which puts production of food in danger and makes ecosystems more vulnerable to extreme climate events. For the last 40 years, Europe has been warming at twice the global rate. Well-Being of people improves.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, The more green areas they are reducing pollution and reducing the danger of zoonotic disease. I didn't make that up. We didn't make that up. This comes from the intergovernmental platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, comes from the Soils Observatory and the latest Copernicus Climate report. It's science.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, The law is good for all, but particularly farmers, fishers and everyone else who is actively. Involved in working alongside ecosystems. The Green Deal will only be possible if we have a nature restoration law to go with it. The Parliament's role is also important. Which brings me on to my next point. We've been building Europe for 70 years now and we do not yet have legislation which directly applies to nature.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, So the European Parliament today and tomorrow should not go down in history as having been a blocking agent. So I say to the EPP in bits and on the ground, but I say to those of you who are here that we do need this law to go through to get rid of that veto so that we can hold the discussions which we need to hold. And, next point, for the sake of history mr. Weber perhaps held up in traffic took a dangerous journey, I call you not to do away with the cordon sanitaire. Do not go further. Reactionary embrace.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, This proposal as defended by, and presented by, Ursula von der Leyen, namely, ring a few bells. And in council countries like Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Romania, Lithuania. Ring any bells? Those countries that got the EPP family in power in those countries. So we've had a lot of fake news about this law. I'll just pick on one that it will put food security at risk in Europe. Look at the science. Look at the facts. It's quite the opposite.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, We actually need fertile soil and pollinators in order to achieve food security. Thank you all for all of the work which has gone into this area, the three of you who've put in so much effort on working on this law. I'd also like to tell you something which has not been in the public domain. The EPP was negotiating a lot of these compromises had EPP support, and then Mr. Weber's said: "No, we pull out".

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, So thanks to all of those who were working in the meantime, and I'd like to thank all of the S&D team. It would not have been possible to come so far without you. And those who are outside NGOs, scientists, associations of environmentalists and others. I don't have much time, so I'll leave it there. Thank you, President.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Rapporteur, What we're calling on you, those of us as groups or individuals who support this will support it. But others, please give it a chance, because otherwise Parliament will go down in history as being an obstacle to a law on nature. So for the future, for the sake of the role of this Parliament and for the sake of history, vote in favour.

SOUNDBITE (French), Anne SANDER (EPP, FR), Thank you very much. President. Commissioner. Ladies and gentlemen. Protecting ecosystems and restoring them is a necessity that we share wholeheartedly. But restoring nature cannot mean a stop of all handicraft production, forestry or agricultural production. Not producing is not a bad word. What we're seeing on the table.

SOUNDBITE (French), Anne SANDER (EPP, FR), While despite the health crisis, despite the geopolitical situation, the Commission and part of this chamber is not actually taking into account reality in the world. 10% of our agricultural territory is something that climbing is not risking our food security, but food production from agriculture is not going pursuant to this law. Allow us to be the best in the world at producing.

SOUNDBITE (French), Anne SANDER (EPP, FR), We might may be we might be able to reduce our pesticide use here, but the rest of the world is still going to need to be fed. We're still going to also have to import food from the four corners of the world where the standards are a long way from mass. And the environmental impacts of this will be negligible.

SOUNDBITE (French), Anne SANDER (EPP, FR), So, yes. Mr. Vice President, Mr. Timmermans, withdraw this proposal. Go back to the drawing board, come back with a pragmatic approach that will actually help defend nature and restore it.

SOUNDBITE (French), Caroline ROOSE (Greens/EFA, FR), Mr. President, Commissioner, for years scientists have been warning of the dangers to nature. We are already seeing very serious consequences, not least for fishers. Marine ecosystems are deteriorating. It is important to take the appropriate measures in each situation. EPP has been spreading fake news on this subject. They said the nature restoration law was going to create famine in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (French), Anne SANDER (EPP, FR), The experts said, No. We need bees, we need marine ecosystems in good condition. Without nature, there is no food. You've been saying on social media that the nature restoration law is going to destroy our land. I do hope that people in the EEP and Renew will think of the image of this House and also the fate of farmers and fishers across Europe. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, President. Honourable Members. First of all, I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to address you today on the crucial role that nature plays for our future. And let me start by thanking rapporteur Mr. Luena, all shadow rapporteurs and the rapporteurs of the two opinion giving committees, Ms. Sander and Ms. Roose and the many of you who I met over the last year, and even more so in recent weeks to discuss the Commission proposal for nature restoration that we presented in June 2022.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, And I hope that these discussions have led to a better understanding or even convergence of each other's positions, because that's what decision making in the EU is all about. This law is nothing less than the flagship initiative of the European Green Deal, Nature and Biodiversity Pillar, and it's intrinsically linked to its climate pillar.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, It's the first EU legal proposal on nature since 30 years. It is the EU's climate law for biodiversity, and the success of one depends the success on the other. During the last year, the Commission has worked very closely with all actors involved and we have listened very carefully to the full range of issues that have been raised and to your concerns. Several of you made it clear that additional flexibility was needed.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, In particular on some of the provisions that may not have been clear enough and thus were considered as potentially hampering economic activities. And many member states have raised similar issues. We acknowledge that and we have consequently showed openness to revisit and improve certain provisions and to enhance clarity, making sure the proposal reflects the current reality.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, On that basis, we have outlined possible ways forward in the non-paper which we submitted to you and to the Council on the 8th of June. We very much welcome the positive response of the Member States to our recent non-paper and the fact that Council took responsibility. Engage constructively an agreed on general approach on 24 June. And I understand that the Spanish Presidency now stands ready to engage in trialogue negotiations, provided, of course, that the European Parliament adopts its mandate.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Honourable Members, In the past weeks we have seen an intense debate on our proposal because the questions, they are complex, because these issues are crucial for our collective future and because the stakes are high.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Proof of this is the unprecedented mobilisation for this law from citizens, and in particular the youth with around 1 million signatures collected in support of the law from hundreds of businesses renewable energy, food and other sectors, including some of Europe's biggest corporations, from farmers and foresters concerned about the impacts of biodiversity on their land and production from over 6000 scientists; from civil society organisations across the EU, as well as from international organisations such as IUCN and the UNEP.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, That debate showed very clearly that there is very broad consensus that we need to restore nature and that we can constructively discuss and find solutions on how. The consequences of the climate and biodiversity crisis are becoming increasingly visible. Also here in the European Union, they already affect nearly every citizen and every sector of the economy, and they are among the biggest threats to the long term resilience of Europe's food security.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, In order to ensure the long term food security and resilience of our farmlands, forests, our seas, we must improve their biodiversity conditions. And some of these ecosystems are already severely threatened by the growing impacts of climate change in almost all parts of Europe with droughts, fires, degraded soils that risk food production and livelihoods, especially in the rural areas.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Science is crystal clear. Far too much of Europe nature has now been degraded or destroyed, so it's vital to reverse that trend. And time is running out. Some 80% of new habitat types are now in bad or poor condition. Half of the global GDP depends on nature, and 75% of our crops depends on pollination. European Central Bank found that 72% of the euro area firms, about 3 million, are highly exposed to nature related services such as timber, clean water, pollination, sand or healthy soils and dependent on at least one of them, sometimes more.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, 75% of bank loans are to firms that depend on ecosystem services. So financial institutions are clearly exposed as well. The unsustainable use of natural resources already costs thousands of lives and billions of euros. Between 1980, 2021, weather and climate related damages amounted to an estimate of €560 billion, and the severe droughts experienced in the EU in August last year led to losses in agricultural production, averaging between five and 10% for crops like grain, maize, sunflower and soybeans.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Droughts, floods and forest fires have become part of new reality. While they are driven by climate change, the degradation of ecosystems and their weakened resilience due to biodiversity loss accelerates and intensifies the impacts of these events. These are figures. But even more important are the people behind these figures. Reversing this trend by restoring degraded nature must therefore be our shared responsibility.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Honourable Members, It's my sincere hope that the open, as shown by the Commission with the non-paper, that the Council's general approach, as well as the proposal presented last week by the Commission to complete the Nature pillar of the European Green Deal, that all these elements can facilitate today's discussion, that they reassure those who felt that the Commission initial position was too far reaching and they remain still convinced to those who would have expected even higher ambition for the nature restoration.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, The Green Deal is highly pragmatic approach to solving the climate and biodiversity crisis. Climate solutions without nature, solutions are half measures. Let me give you a couple examples. Making soils healthy, it's not good just for farmers, foresters and habitats. It's also essential for ensuring the soils can store carbon; carbon rich soils in turn store water and mitigate the consequences of flash storms.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, That soils do none of that boosting innovation. New business models like carbon farming and promote technological developments such as for new genomic techniques are key parts of Commission's nature package. All proposals are interlinked and actually strengthen each other. They all contribute and assist to achieve the goals of the other proposals on the table with nature restoration law in the centre.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, The more we do on nature, the less tough we will have to be on climate action. Nature is our best ally in fighting climate change. And if we don't take proper measures to let it thrive, we will be ditching our best chance to achieve climate neutrality. Honourable members, citizens, businesses, scientists, farmers, foresters, cities, our international partners. They all expect us to act to address the climate related challenges they face, which are aggravated by that and deteriorating state of our natural ecosystems.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, This very parliament in June 2021 called for a strong nature restoration law, including binding targets. And together with the Council, the Parliament and Commission signed a declaration only six months ago on 22nd of December 2022, confirming that nature restoration was a joint priority for 2023. Today, I am reconfirming to this House that the Commission remains 100% committed to turn this proposal into law to showing the necessary flexibility and to supporting the co-legislators in their search for compromise.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, The Council has already engaged in this process, and I am convinced that with a constructive approach, a compromise is possible also within this House in order to uphold the European Union's international commitments under both the Paris Agreement and the Montreal Biodiversity Framework to ensure a transition to sustainable economy and deliver on the EU climate law and adapt to climate change we need to urgently restore and strengthen the resilience of natural ecosystems across the EU.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, And I know that many of you share the urgency. I therefore trust that you will seize this opportunity and take responsibility to engage constructively so that tomorrow this House can adopt a mandate for trialogue negotiations, with would also allow us to reach a final agreement on the proposal in time for COP 28 and the next biodiversity COP 16; and to see the entry into force of the nature restoration law before the end of this political term.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Dear colleagues, this is not about restoring nature for the sake of nature. It's about ensuring a habitable environment where the well-being of current and future generations is ensured. Where the land and seas continue having the capacity to provide us the goods and services that our lives, our economy fully depend on. It is about our lives. It's about us and those who come after us. Thank you.