Compromise on controversial Nature Restoration Law can still be reached, says commissioner
Some of the people attending the nature rally organised by Cork Environmental Forum, which took place outside Cork City Hall on Friday. Picture: Cian O'Regan
A compromise can still be reached on Europe's most ambitious nature restoration proposal for three decades in the face of stiff political opposition, the European Commissioner for the Environment and Oceans has said.
Virginijus Sinkevičius told the EU affairs website Euractiv he would continue to meet resistant MEPs as a vote looms on the Nature Restoration Law.
The commissioner has sent a so-called "non paper" — a document issued informally to facilitate negotiations — to European Parliament representatives advocating for the proposal.
In it, the commission says it is “is ready to consider further flexibility” around rewetting of peatlands, while it would be willing to pay farmers more for nature restoration.
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It comes as a rally at Cork City Hall by the Cork Environmental Forum urged Irish MEPs to support the commission's proposal to restore at least 20% of the EU’s damaged land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050.
Speakers from Cork Environmental Forum, Coastwatch, and the Irish Wildlife Trust said it was vital to contact MEPs in favour of the proposal.
The Environmental Pillar coalition of Irish environmental organisations said the commission non paper showed "all the major roadblocks to finding agreement on nature restoration" have now been removed as it urged MEPs to support it.
More than 80% of protected habitats across the EU are in a bad state, according to the European Environment Agency, with a combined area about half the size of Spain in need of restoration.
The European People's Party, of which Fine Gael is a member, walked out of negotiations last week, claiming the proposals would impact farming and food production negatively, which supporters of the proposal say is a red herring.
Sinn Féin has come around, saying concerns have been assuaged in a new draft text, while Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher said earlier this week that changes made, in particular concerning the re-wetting of drained peatlands, are an improvement.
However, he claimed they "still must go further if we are to avoid undermining Ireland’s agricultural sector".
MEP Sean Kelly broke with his fellow EPP members, with the Fine Gael MEP saying: "I don’t believe you should walk off the pitch."
The EPP represents 177 of 705 MEPs. The nature restoration proposal must now pass committee stage, and even if it does, political insiders say it is touch and go whether it can now pass a European Parliament vote in July.
The proposal has led to sharp political divides between the Government parties here, with Agriculture Minister and Fianna Fáil TD Charlie McConalogue and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan hitting out at "scaremongering" and "misinformation" around the debate.
Their position is in contrast to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who said Fine Gael cannot accept a proposed nature restoration law in its current form.
Mr Sinkevičius told Euractiv "the idea is to reach a compromise that can be supported by all the co-legislators".
"I hope that we will follow this logic for this crucial piece of legislation on nature restoration. As always, we in the commission try to be an honest broker and engage in constructive dialogue with all the co-legislators, trying to explain the thinking behind our proposals," he said.
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