In a push for UN negotiations to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, the goals announced by the European Commission include reversing the decline in pollinator populations and restoring 20% of land and sea by 2030, with all ecosystems to be rehabilitated by 2050. The Commission also proposed a goal of halving the use of chemical pesticides by 2030 and eliminating their use near schools, hospitals and playgrounds. Frans Timmermans, executive vice-president of the commission, said the laws were a step forward in tackling the “emerging eco-homicide” that threatens the planet. About € 100 billion (85. 85 billion) will be allocated to biodiversity expenditure, including the restoration of ecosystems. The 2030 target for reducing pesticide use will give farmers time to find alternatives. Stella Kyriakidi, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “We need to reduce the use of chemical pesticides to protect our soil, air and food and ultimately the health of our citizens. This is not about banning pesticides. “It’s about making them a last resort.” The proposals, which activists hailed as a possible landmark for nature, could become law in about a year. The restoration proposal is the first biodiversity legislation since the Habitats Directive was adopted in 1992 and is a crucial part of the EU biodiversity strategy. Member States should set up remedial plans to show the Commission how they will achieve the objectives set and, if they do not comply, take legal action. Targets will be set for a range of ecosystems, including agricultural land, forests, rivers, urban and marine areas. Priority ecosystems include those with the highest capacity for carbon sequestration and storage, as well as for dealing with the effects of natural disasters. Some countries will have much more to do than others: Belgium, Denmark and Sweden are among the EU Member States with the worst ecosystems, while Romania, Estonia and Greece are comparatively better off. “It’s a huge milestone. “It really has the potential to change our relationship with nature,” said Ariel Brunner of BirdLife Europe. “Ultimately, the difference between effective politics and fair propaganda is whether you can take people to court because they did not do the right thing. “We will have to look at the text with a fine-toothed comb, because there are a lot of gaps at the last minute,” he said, adding that there was strong disagreement within the committee over the details of the report, with several delays as a result of lobbying objections. agriculture and forestry. Reducing the use of pesticides will allow more and more species to flourish, such as in this wildflower meadow, the Auvergne in France. Photo: Michael David Murphy / Alamy The biggest threat to food production and safety is the climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity, so restoration will help enhance food security, Commission officials said, with the benefits of restoration offsetting costs by eight to one. . “We show that we are able to set an example,” said one official. “It’s a complete proposal.” There should be no net loss of urban green space and tree cover by 2030, the legislation says, and by 2050 there should be at least a 10% increase in tree cover in all cities and towns. For forest ecosystems, Member States should increase forest connectivity, the number of birds and the stock of organic carbon. There are also targets for rehabilitating rivers, opening floodplains and removing dams. In the offshore areas, pressure will be put on the closure of fishing grounds so that the habitats destroyed by the bottom trawl can begin to recover. Despite existing EU legislation, about one third of the registered habitats are in poor condition and degraded. Ioannis Agapakis, a wildlife and habitat lawyer at ClientEarth, said: “Setting specific goals and securing strong national enforcement tools can turn the tide in the fight against these twin crises, but only if they are imposed. “For this law to have teeth, we need to look at monitoring, detailed planning and rules for the types of measures taken to meet the objectives of the law – otherwise they will just remain numbers on one page.” Some supporters of the campaign argue that agri-environmental measures in forest management that do not contribute to the actual habitat restoration should not be included in the overall goal. There are also concerns that maritime recovery objectives are in danger of not being put into practice due to the unmanaged management of the catastrophic consequences of offshore fishing. The announcement comes as UN biodiversity talks resume in Nairobi, with a view to reaching a final agreement in Montreal in December. Governments are currently negotiating a global recovery goal, and Brunner said these laws will make the EU much more credible in the negotiations. “In a sense, this would legally place the EU at the forefront of biodiversity, because many international biodiversity debates are sinking into categories from developing countries or less affluent countries that tend to accuse Europeans of preaching conservation and the environment,” he said. The proposals will be discussed in the European Parliament and the Environment Council. Once any amendments have been agreed, they will then negotiate compromises and receive a text that parliament and the council can vote on and approve. National plans must be submitted within two years of the implementation of the legislation. 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