The EU’s Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to restore nature was given the green light by the European parliament recently.

About EU’s Nature Restoration Law (NRL)

• Adopted: June 17, 2024, by the EU’s Environmental Council.
• Scope: Part of the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and European Green Deal.
• Objective: The law aims to restore 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, expanding to 90% by 2050.
  • Restoration of 30% of degraded habitats by 2030, 60% by 2040, and 90% by 2050.
• Key actions:
  • Restore 25,000 km of rivers.
  • Plant 3 billion trees by 2030.
• Scope: It targets degraded ecosystems like forests, rivers, and wetlands, especially those in Natura 2000 (protected areas).
  • Addresses biodiversity loss and improves the condition of degraded habitats (80% in Europe).

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• Biodiversity Goals: Aligned with the EU’s 2030 biodiversity strategy and the global Kunming-Montreal framework, which seeks to conserve 30% of land and sea by 2030.
• Flexibility for Member States: Countries choose specific areas and ecosystems for restoration, submit national restoration plans, and are required to monitor and report progress regularly.

Significance of Nature Restoration Law (NRL)

• Climate Mitigation: Healthy ecosystems are crucial for absorbing carbon emissions, reducing the impacts of extreme weather, and increasing climate resilience.
• Biodiversity Preservation: Restoring habitats will support endangered species and contribute to the survival of ecosystems crucial for pollinators, agriculture, and food security.
• Economic Gains: Nature restoration can generate significant economic returns by enhancing agricultural productivity, water security, and creating jobs, particularly in rural areas.
  • The EU commission’s impact assessment suggests economic benefits of €1.86 trillion by 2050 from restoration actions compared to the €154 billion cost.
• Sustainable Development: Aligns with global goals like SDG 15 (Life on Land) by promoting sustainable land use and combating desertification.
• Climate Resilience: Restored ecosystems buffer against the adverse impacts of climate change, such as floods and droughts, improving environmental stability.

Challenges of Implementing NRL

• Agricultural Impact: Resistance from farmers concerned about reduced arable land and potential negative effects on food production.
• Political Pushback: Conservative and nationalist parties may resist restoration efforts due to perceived conflicts with economic growth or sovereignty over natural resource management.
• Economic Costs: High initial investments and implementation costs may deter immediate adoption despite long-term benefits.
• Coordination Across States: Ensuring compliance and coordination between states or regions, each with varying environmental priorities and governance structures, is challenging.
• Urbanization Pressure: In rapidly urbanising areas, balancing land restoration with development needs is difficult.
• Peatland Restoration: Resistance from farming communities due to targets for restoring drained peatlands, as it may reduce arable land.

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Need for Restoration Law in India

• Deforestation
  • Forests are being depleted at an alarming rate for commercial purposes, which can lead to climate change. 
  • According to the Environment Ministry, over 3 lakh hectares of forest land in India has been diverted for non-forestry use since 2008-09.
• Land degradation
  • Agricultural land and forests are the most common types of land that are degraded in India. This can lead to food insecurity and climate change. 
  • 97.85 million hectares (29.7%) degraded (2018-19), up from 94.53 million hectares in 2003-05.
  • Desertification affected 83.69 million hectares in 2018-19.
  • High degradation in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
• Water pollution
  • Most rivers, lakes, and surface water in India are polluted. 
  • The main sources of water pollution are untreated sewage, agricultural runoff, and unregulated small-scale industry. 
  • Based on analysis of water quality data, CPCB in year 2022, has identified 311 polluted river stretches on 279 rivers in 30 States/ UTs in the country based on indicator of organic pollution i.e. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) (3mg/L).
  • Groundwater in India can be contaminated by trace metals like nickel, copper, chromium, lead, mercury, and cadmium.
• Groundwater depletion
  • Groundwater storage in north India is rapidly declining due to natural and anthropogenic factors. This is a major challenge for food and water security. 
  • India extracts around 230 billion cubic meters of groundwater each year for agriculture. 
  • North India has experienced rapid groundwater depletion, losing 450 cubic kilometers between 2002 and 2021.
  • The Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) reports that 17% of groundwater blocks are overexploited, with 5% at a critical stage and 14% at a semi-critical stage. 
• Soil erosion
  • Soil erosion is a serious threat to survival and well-being in India. It occurs in forest lands, agricultural lands, and other areas. 
  • The average annual soil loss in India is 21 tons per hectare.
  • The National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning estimates that around 30% of the soil in India is degraded. 
  • Of the eroded soil, 29% is lost to the sea, 10% is deposited in reservoirs, and 61% is shifted from one place to another.
• Biodiversity loss
  • Factors that have contributed to the decline of India’s biodiversity include habitat loss, hunting, poaching, over-exploitation, and forest fires. 
  • India with 2.4% of total global land area is home for about 8% of global biological diversity.
  • The IUCN lists at least 97 mammals, 94 bird species, and 482 plant species in India as threatened with extinction. 
• Population growth
  • According to the United Nations, the current population of India in 2024 is 1,44 billion, a 0.92% increase from 2023.  It is more than four times since the 1951 census.

Challenges for Environmental Restoration in India

• Rapid Urbanisation: Increasing urban sprawl puts immense pressure on natural ecosystems, leading to deforestation, loss of wetlands, and shrinking green spaces.
• Agricultural Expansion: Intensive farming practices, monoculture, and land-use change for agriculture contribute to land degradation, soil erosion, and depletion of biodiversity.
• Industrial Pollution: Pollution from industries, including untreated waste disposal into rivers, lakes, and soil, severely hampers restoration efforts, especially in critical ecosystems like rivers and wetlands.
• Lack of Funding and Resources: Insufficient financial allocation and technical expertise hinder large-scale restoration projects, especially in rural and remote areas.
• Weak Policy Enforcement: Even though environmental laws exist, poor implementation and weak enforcement mechanisms prevent effective ecosystem restoration.
• Community Resistance: Local communities, particularly those dependent on natural resources for livelihood, may resist restoration efforts, fearing loss of access to land or disruption of economic activities.
• Climate Change Impacts: The increasing frequency of extreme weather events—droughts, floods, and rising temperatures—exacerbates degradation and complicates restoration efforts.
• Fragmented Governance: Environmental management responsibilities are split across different levels of government and agencies, leading to poor coordination and slow decision-making.

Way Forward for Environmental Restoration in India

• Legally Binding Restoration Targets: India should establish a Nature Restoration Law with legally binding targets, similar to the EU’s NRL, aiming to restore 20% of degraded ecosystems by 2030 and all by 2050.
• Integrated Land and Water Management: Adopting a holistic approach to managing land, forests, rivers, and wetlands will help restore ecosystems while enhancing agricultural productivity and water security.
• Community Participation: Involve local communities, especially those dependent on natural resources, in restoration efforts through employment opportunities, awareness campaigns, and participatory governance.
• Strengthening Policy Implementation: Ensure strict enforcement of environmental laws with stronger monitoring mechanisms and penalties for non-compliance, to safeguard restored areas.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage collaboration between the government, private sector, and civil society organisations to mobilise funding, technical expertise, and innovation for large-scale restoration projects.
• Climate-Resilient Restoration: Incorporate climate resilience into restoration projects by using climate-adaptive species and restoration techniques to address the impacts of global warming.

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Conclusion

A Nature Restoration Law would help restore ecosystems and boost socio-economic development while addressing climate change. Inspired by the EU, India’s legislation could set a global precedent in environmental governance.

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