Nature Restoration Law survives crucial vote but uncertainty remains high

Nature Restoration Law is aimed at restoring habitats, species and ecosystems lost due to human activity. Picture: Denis Minihane.

A cliffhanger vote in the European Parliament has thwarted an attempt by some MEPs to derail a major piece of EU climate legislation.

Members from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) had tabled a motion to reject a proposal called the Nature Restoration Law which is aimed at restoring habitats, species and ecosystems lost due to human activity.

They fear it will put too much pressure on farmers and food producers which will result in increased inflation in the EU.

But in a nail-biting vote, the Parliament’s environment committee voted 44 in favour and 44 against, parity meaning the motion to reject the law was unsuccessful.

After the vote, Irish Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan, a sitting member of the committee who voted to block the EPP move against the progression of the law, said she is, “disappointed that many politicians continue to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to the immediate need for action on climate change and biodiversity loss.” 

There were cheers and applause in the packed room when the result of the secret ballot was announced. But the following time period of 3 hours set aside to vote on a subsequent series of compromise amendments ran out, leading to further uncertainty in the legislative process going forward.

“If we want to save our natural heritage in Ireland and beyond we need to vote on this now”, said Ms O’Sullivan.

The law will also need approval by EU governments later on, and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has expressed concerns about aspects of the law and the burdens it may place on Irish farmers.

“We also have to be realistic,” Mr Varadkar said at the start of June. “The nature restoration law as currently drafted goes far too far.” 

The law will also need approval by EU governments later on. Picture Denis Minihane.

The proposal includes binding targets to protect 20% of the EU’s land by 2023 to try to save and restore everything from pollinating insects to marine ecosystems.

Those targets would force farmers to scale back their use of pesticides.

“Farmers recognise the role they can play in supporting nature and are already carrying out measures to do this,” said the Irish Farmers Association’s Environment Chair, Paul O’Brien, who was in Strasbourg to witness the vote. 

“However, the lack of clarity on the potential impact of the proposed regulation on farmland and production is very worrying.” 

The controversy around the vote has engulfed the whole week of the European Parliament’s monthly Strasbourg sitting, and is also being seen as indicative of the wider battles expected to come over the EU’s Green Deal proposals.

Despite not being a member of the European Parliament’s environment committee, the central figure of the drama in Strasbourg is actually the European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber.

The German MEP has been corralling his political allies in the parliament to vote against it for weeks.

“Give me arguments, give me a better piece of legislation, and then my party is ready to give in”, said Mr Weber ahead of the vote, hinting they'll continue to fight as the law now heads to consideration by the whole house of 705 MEPs.

But within EU institutions, dissent against his campaign to bring down the law is growing, especially in light of his leadership heading into next year’s EU elections.

“This is Weber's Waterloo,” said one EU source who spoke to the Examiner on the condition of anonymity.

“Weber is threatening his MEPs and trying all sorts of tricks like offering election support. If the proposal survives in the end, he is politically dead.”