Addressing legal myths about the proposed EU nature restoration law

Abstract

In June 2022, the EU Commission adopted a Proposal for a Nature Restoration law which aims to restore the degraded levels of biodiversity within the European Union. However, this objective has – over time – become highly contested. It should be stressed that the Proposal can, and should, be critically analysed by the EU Institutions and other stakeholders. Yet, the debate on the Proposal appears to be shifting from arguments based on ecological reality to a tense political one. The proposed instrument has been misinterpreted, in part by an active agroindustry lobby, seeking to prevent the adoption of the restoration law. Some claims made in this context are that nature restoration would frustrate farming in the EU and that it would substantially halt (housing) development. These scientific and economic myths have been contested in an open letter signed by 3000+ scientists and ecologists – as well as several environmental NGOs.