Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Malcolm Noonan TD, and Minister for the Environment and Climate, Eamon Ryan TD called the outcome an historic vote for nature that now provides an opportunity to reverse biodiversity loss and restore nature, thereby strengthening food security, providing safe drinking water, reducing air pollution, and sustaining livelihoods and wellbeing for every European into the future.
The final compromise text of the proposed Regulation had previously been approved by the European Parliament during a plenary session in Luxembourg on 27 February. Today, 17 June, it was adopted by a qualified majority vote in the Council of Environment Ministers of the 27 Member States.
Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, said:
"Today’s vote is extremely positive news. Not just for nature and wildlife across Europe, but for all of us as well. The future of human civilisation depends entirely on healthy, functioning ecosystems, but these life support systems are declining dangerously. We are in a biodiversity emergency. The Nature Restoration Law will bring unprecedented action and investment to this challenge, and not a minute too soon.
"We can be proud that Ireland has demonstrated real leadership on nature restoration throughout this process. Twelve of our thirteen MEPs voted in favour of the NRL in February, and they should be commended for that. The Government has also supported the Nature Restoration Law at every step, as has the Dáil - members voted 121 to 9 in favour of nature restoration last year."
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan TD, along with Minister Noonan, led an initiative in May signed by 11 Member States calling on other Member States to join them in adopting the Nature Restoration Law proposal.
Minister for Environment and Climate Action, Eamon Ryan TD, said:
"This is an historic vote for nature and a huge opportunity to rebalance our ecosystems, strengthen our food security, improve our water and our air and ensure more secure livelihoods and wellbeing for millions of Europeans.
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"Europe is the fastest warming continent and is facing unprecedented impacts from the intertwined nature and climate crises. This is a decisive step towards addressing the very real risks we are already seeing, from desertification to flooding.
"Large-scale restoration of nature has the potential to strengthen Europe and to provide additional income streams for farmers, foresters, fishers and other landowners. It will create jobs and stimulate downstream industries, such as eco-tourism, bringing real stimulus to rural economies. It’s already happening. Tens of thousands of farmers across the country are already taking part in schemes, projects and programmes to restore nature. I say it over and over again. Farmers are the frontline heroes in climate action. We want to work collaboratively, to restore nature and to ensure that farmers and rural communities are well rewarded and can thrive. This is what the NRL is all about."
On 25 January, Ireland launched its fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin. This plan includes a commitment to establish a National Restoration Plan by 2026, aligning with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and global restoration objectives.
A participatory stakeholder engagement process has commenced to facilitate the development of the National Restoration Plan over the next 24 months. Under the guidance of an independent Chair, this initiative will feature a series of interactive workshops centred around key themes addressing the impact of the Regulation on land, marine and urban environments. Stakeholders, including farmers and farming representatives, are encouraged to actively participate in these discussions.
One of key tasks of the restoration planning process will be to identify the design, targets and incentive schemes to deliver restoration measures, including consideration of national and EU funding opportunities and a comprehensive assessment of funding needs. Completion of the Plan will be aligned with the opening of the Government's €3.15bn Climate and Nature Fund in 2026. This fund is expected to play an important role in resourcing the measures in the National Restoration Plan.
Minister Noonan added: "I have seen for myself the amazing work that farmers, foresters, fishers and other landowners are doing. Meanwhile communities all across the country – both urban and rural – are putting their shoulders to the wheel as well, developing projects and plans to support nature in their local area. Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan will build on these successes, expand and empower them. Our focus now turns to the development of Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan. It is my intention to work with the Minister for Finance to ensure that the Government’s €3.15bn Climate and Nature Fund, which was announced as part of Budget 2024, will underpin the implementation of nature restoration measures across the country. We need to turn the tide on biodiversity loss and take the first steps towards restoring nature, and we need to do it together. That’s what this Government is committed to delivering on."
The National Restoration Plan will build on and extend existing efforts across the country. Currently, through initiatives like the LIFE Programmes and Farm Plan Scheme administered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), farmers are engaged in over 1500 projects aimed at restoring nature nationwide. The recently launched €25 million Breeding Waders EIP, a collaboration between NPWS and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), anticipates further participation from many more farmers.
This is in addition to the more than 18,000 farmers who are involved in results-based ACRES Cooperation projects under DAFM. Through the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, a further 130 are participating in dedicated initiatives to protect water quality. It is anticipated that this number will grow substantially to over 15,000 in the coming years as two new projects – the Waters of LIFE Project and the Water EIP, led by DAFM – come on stream.
Efforts to restore biodiversity are progressing in various sectors. Bord na Móna is actively restoring and rehabilitating 33,000 hectares of degraded peatland, while Coillte has pledged to enhance and restore biodiversity across 20% (90,000 hectares) of its estate by 2030.
