Pádraig Hoare: Nature restoration lives on but it has been decimated by compromises

Some of the most important clauses and ambitions for nature contained within the Nature Restoration Law are now gone

The compromised text sought by some MEPs came in for sharp criticism from many environmental campaigners as unrealistic and letting special interest groups off the hook when it comes to playing their part in saving biodiversity.

Nature restoration lives on in Europe, but only just.

The dramatic reversal of fortunes for the European Commission's Nature Restoration Law, which looked all but dead as late as Wednesday morning, is a pyrrhic victory for those who championed it.

While the European Parliament voted not to reject the proposal, which aims to restore at least 20% of the EU’s damaged land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050, MEPs severely watered down the original text in the name of compromise, as it finally narrowly passed to cheers from those who lobbied hard for it.

The wistful reaction from environmental campaigners across Europe is telling. 

On the one hand, the proposal lives on. On the other hand, some of the most important clauses and ambitions for nature contained within the proposal are now gone. 

The political reaction is just as muted. 

The EU Nature Restoration Law is aimed at restoring 'damaged ecosystems and bring nature back across Europe'.

Ireland's five Fine Gael MEPs were lauded in some quarters for going against the collective position of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest grouping, of which Fine Gael is a member, in the European Parliament.

To others, the compromised text sought by some MEPs came in for sharp criticism from many environmental campaigners as unrealistic and letting special interest groups off the hook when it comes to playing their part in saving biodiversity on the continent.

With little precedent for what comes next, politicos everywhere are scrambling to establish where it goes from here. It seems likely it will now go back to the European Parliament's environment committee to thrash out with the commission on how to go forward.

Meanwhile, the twin climate and biodiversity crises do not respect political intrigue and votes or timelines. 

They do not stop and wait before wreaking their havoc, they do not respect political cycles, and they do not care for political compromise. 

As nature weakens, extreme weather gets stronger.

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.

Those grave figures were not enough for nearly half of the European Parliament's elected politicians, who voted to shoot nature restoration down.

It is a harbinger of what is to come as the world pivots towards a sustainable future and as the clock ticks ominously close to end game for collective action to matter.