Why has EU's nature restoration proposal turned toxic?

One of the most crucial votes in the history of the European Parliament takes place this week, with the future of nature and biodiversity at stake on the continent, writes Pádraig Hoare, Environment Correspondent

Among Irish MEPs, concerns around so-called 'rewetting', which means saturating peatland to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the most contentious issues.

To those unfamiliar with lobbying, voting blocs, and Machiavellian insider scheming, it would seem the European Commission’s nature restoration proposal is a politically innocuous piece of legislation that should be rubber-stamped.

After all, who would not want to restore at least 20% of the EU’s damaged land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050, as proposed by the commission.