The World Briefly

July 13, 2023

Close Call

European Union

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The European Union’s parliament backed a major plan to protect nature and fight climate change following a tight vote Wednesday and strong opposition from the legislature’s conservative bloc, the Associated Press reported.

The vote came after weeks of intense lobbying against the legislation, a key part of the EU’s vaunted European Green Deal. This landmark agreement seeks to establish the most ambitious climate and biodiversity objectives globally, solidifying the bloc’s position as the foremost authority on all matters pertaining to climate.

The approved plans – also known as the nature restoration law – set binding restoration targets for specific habitats and species, with the main goal to cover more than 20 percent of the bloc’s land and sea areas by 2030.

The European Commission – which proposed the plan – wants the nature restoration law to be an integral part of the Green Deal to ensure the maximum impact of the agreement.

But the European Parliament’s conservative factions opposed the vote, citing concerns that the plan would undermine food security, fuel inflation, and hurt farmers. It also called for a pause on environmental action and instead have a greater focus on economic competitiveness over the next five years.

Scientists and other legislators rejected the assertions and accused opponents of disinformation.

Meanwhile, lawmakers also cast their votes on more than 100 amendments aimed at introducing greater flexibility into the plan. The approved amendments will now be incorporated into negotiations with member states, a process expected to span several months before a definitive law can be approved.

The EU has faced resistance to recent environmental proposals, particularly those requiring changes from farmers to address pollution, as well as the decline of bee and butterfly populations, according to Reuters.

Despite the opposition, the EU remains committed to its overall green agenda and the goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

This story originally appeared in the July 13, 2023 newsletter, Twenty Years.