GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AMBITIOUS NATURE RESTORATION PLANS

The report outlines a stepwise process for EU Member States to develop National Restoration Plans (NRPs) to meet the legally binding targets of the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), which aims to restore 20% of land and sea areas by 2030 and all degraded ecosystems by 2050. It details legal requirements for monitoring, quantification, and stakeholder engagement, while emphasizing the need for policy coherence with the Renewable Energy Directive, Common Agricultural Policy, and Common Fisheries Policy. The document provides 14 specific recommendations to ensure NRPs are ambitious, evidence-based, and well-funded through a mix of public and private sources.

• The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) mandates that EU Member States restore 20% of land and 20% of seas by 2030, with the ultimate goal of restoring all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.
• Member States must follow a structured timeline for National Restoration Plans (NRPs), submitting draft plans by 1 September 2026, with detailed measures for the period up to 2032 and a strategic overview extending to 2050.
• Preparatory requirements for NRPs include quantifying areas needing restoration for terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, mapping urban ecosystem areas, and setting satisfactory levels for pollinator and agricultural/forest indicators by 2030.
• The report emphasizes that civil society, including NGOs, scientific experts, and local communities, must be involved in the planning process from the start to ensure transparency and effectiveness, aligned with the Aarhus Convention.
• There is a risk of conflict between the NRL and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), as RED flexibilities regarding 'overriding public interest' could lead to the prioritisation of energy infrastructure over nature restoration.
• The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) are identified as both potential funding sources and potential obstacles, as certain subsidies may act as disincentives to restoration.
• Financing for the NRL is expected to come from a combination of EU and domestic public funds and private sources; the impact assessment estimates that restoring 40% of Annex I habitats by 2030 will cost €8.2 billion per year between 2022 and 2030.
• Member States may apply for specific derogations, such as rewetting a lower proportion of peatland if it would significantly impact infrastructure or public interests, though the report warns this risks missing climate targets.
• The European Commission will assess draft NRPs and provide observations within six months, which Member States must then take into account for their final submissions.

APA

Aubert, G., Underwood, E., Leemans, S., Ruysschaert, S., Agapakis, I., Hart, K., Meganck, K., & Moroz, S. (n.d.). GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AMBITIOUS NATURE RESTORATION PLANS. ClientEarth. https://www.clientearth.org/media/rgjgqzog/nrp_final-web.pdf

Chicago

Aubert, Gabrielle, Evelyn Underwood, Sabien Leemans, Sofie Ruysschaert, Ioannis Agapakis, Kaley Hart, Kenny Meganck, and Sergiy Moroz. GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AMBITIOUS NATURE RESTORATION PLANS. ClientEarth, n.d. https://www.clientearth.org/media/rgjgqzog/nrp_final-web.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{aubertndguidance, author = {Aubert, Gabrielle and Underwood, Evelyn and Leemans, Sabien and Ruysschaert, Sofie and Agapakis, Ioannis and Hart, Kaley and Meganck, Kenny and Moroz, Sergiy}, title = {{GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AMBITIOUS NATURE RESTORATION PLANS}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/rgjgqzog/nrp_final-web.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }