EU politicians to plough ahead with nature protection proposals despite EPP withdrawal

It leaves the European Commission proposal to restore at least 20% of the EU’s damaged land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050, on life support. File picture

European politicians are determined to plough on with the biggest overhaul of nature protection in the EU for three decades, despite the biggest bloc of MEPs walking away from negotiations.

Environmental campaigners reacted with dismay as the European People’s Party (EPP), which represents around 177 of 705 MEPs, including Fine Gael, left negotiations on the Nature Restoration Law on Wednesday.

It leaves the European Commission proposal to restore at least 20% of the EU’s damaged land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050, on life support. Political insiders say it is touch and go whether it can now pass a European Parliament vote in July.

The division in Strasbourg reflects the political picture in Ireland, with the Government accused by opposition parties of not knowing its own position on the law, or actively working to sabotage it.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s claim last week that it “goes too far” was rebuffed by Environment Minister Eamon Ryan, who said he "absolutely, fundamentally disagrees" with those claiming the law would harm family farming.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael MEPs such as Billy Kelleher and Colm Markey have voiced their opposition to it in Europe, but Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue and Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan both moved to assuage concerns around the proposal, saying “scaremongering” and “misinformation” had unjustly dominated the public debate in recent weeks.

More than 80% of protected habitats across the EU are in a bad state, according to the European Environment Agency, with a combined area around half the size of Spain in need of restoration. File photo

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns called on the Government to explain its stance once and for all on Wednesday. "The Taoiseach has said that it is going too far. A Fine Gael MEP voted against the law and Fianna Fáil MEPs are not supporting it. So what is the Government's actual position on it?" she said.

Labour Party TD Alan Kelly said Fianna Fáil TDs are "going behind backs and going on the airwaves" to stoke opposition to the commission's proposal.

"Even though it is a Fianna Fáil Agriculture Minister, they are going out attacking Green Party members left, right, and centre over this."

It is completely and utterly hypocritical on the one hand saying they are all in this Government together, yet every day coming out and attacking their colleagues. 

The Government parties need to "own it and take responsibility once and for all", he added.

MEPs from political groupings other than the EPP claimed on Thursday that they have reached a compromise deal with enough support to pass a Parliament committee vote on June 15.

"In order to challenge and tackle the second big ecological crisis, which is the biodiversity crisis, we need to have this nature regulation," Terry Reintke, co-head of the Green lawmaker group, said as its MEPs vowed to plough on.

At the UN's Cop15 global biodiversity summit, 196 countries and blocs agreed to restore at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030.

More than 80% of protected habitats across the EU are in a bad state, according to the European Environment Agency, with a combined area around half the size of Spain in need of restoration. Only 15% are considered good.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB