EU's green laws on shaky ground as countries pull back

In a setback for environmental progress, EU nations, including Hungary and Italy, retract their support for crucial nature restoration legislation, putting its future in doubt.

Lisa O'Carroll reports for The Guardian.

In short:

The intended vote on nature restoration laws was canceled due to insufficient support, showcasing a divide among member states.
Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European environment commissioner, emphasizes the potential global reputational damage to the EU if the bill fails.
Upcoming elections and farmers' protests have further complicated the legislation's prospects, amidst calls for the EU to maintain its environmental ambitions.

Key quote:

“It would be enormously irresponsible to drop the entire European green agenda.”

— Teresa Ribera, Spain's environment minister

Why this matters:

This legislation seeks to cover a broad range of ecosystems, from agricultural lands and forests to freshwater bodies and marine environments. The goal is to restore these habitats to a condition that can sustain healthy populations of plants and animals while also contributing to human well-being and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

In urban parks and forests, scientists dig to unearth answers to an age-old question—why are people healthier (and happier) when surrounded by nature?

www.theguardian.com

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