On 27 and 28 May 2021, the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament adopted its position on the “EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives”. The Parliament is scheduled to vote on this resolution at its next plenary session on 7-10 June.
In the report, MEPs welcome the ambition in the EU Biodiversity Strategy to ensure that by 2050 the world’s ecosystems are restored, resilient, and adequately protected but stress the need for concrete actions and ambitious legislative proposals. These include a new European Biodiversity law which steers a path to 2050 through a set of binding objectives and which establishes a monitoring mechanism with smart indicators.
MEPs also reiterate their call for a restoration target of at least 30% of the EU’s land and seas as part of the EU Nature Restoration Plan and support the set-up of binding targets on urban biodiversity, nature-based solutions and green infrastructure.
In addition, they call on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the objectives of the strategy are fully reflected in the Zero Pollution Action Plan. This Action Plan was adopted by the European Commission on the 12th of May 2021 and provides a compass for including water pollution prevention in all relevant EU policies.
Water Europe is glad to contribute to this debate with its two position papers ‘Biodiversity Strategy: shared challenges for water and biodiversity conservation’ and ‘Zero Pollution Action Plan: A First Step towards a Water-Smart Society’.
For more information on Water Europe’s position on the Biodiversity Strategy please download the full position paper here.
Water Europe’s position paper on the Zero Pollution Action Plan can be seen here.
Draft report and amendments on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 can be seen here
