6 
 
2.2. An EU Nature Restoration Plan: restoring ecosystems across 
land and sea 
Protecting the nature we have will not be enough to bring nature back into our lives. To 
reverse biodiversity loss, the world needs to be more ambitious on nature restoration. 
With a new EU Nature Restoration Plan, Europe will lead the way.  
The plan will help improve the health of existing and new protected areas, and bring 
diverse and resilient nature back to all  landscapes and ecosystems. This means reducing 
pressures on habitats and species, and ensuring all use of ecosystems is sustainable. It 
also means supporting the recovery of nature, limiting soil sealing and urban sprawl, and 
tackling po llution and invasive alien species. The plan will create jobs, reconcile 
economic activities with nature growth and help ensure the long -term productivity and 
value of our natural capital. 
2.2.1. Strengthening the EU legal framework for nature restoration  
Nature restoration is already partially required from the Member States in existing EU 
legislation28. However, significant implementation and regulatory gaps hinder 
progress. For instance, there is no requirement for Member States to have biodiversity 
restoration plans. There are not always clear or binding targets and timelines and no  
definition or criteria on restoration or on the sustainable use of ecosystems. There is also 
no requirement to comprehensively map, monitor or assess ecosystem services, healt h or 
restoration efforts. These issues are exacerbated by the gaps in implementation that 
prevent the existing legislation from achieving its objectives 29. Stronger implementation 
support and enforcement is required. To ensure that nature restoration across land and sea 
picks up, increases the EU’s resilience, and contributes to climate change mitigation and 
adaptation as a key nature -based solution, this strategy puts forward two strands of 
actions: 
 Firstly, and subject to an impact assessment, the Commission will put forward a 
proposal for legally binding EU nature restoration targets in 2021 to restore 
degraded ecosystems, in particular those with the most potential to capture and 
store carbon and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disaste rs. This will 
identify the conditions in which the targets must be met, as well as the most 
effective measures to reach them. The impact assessment will also look at the 
possibility of an EU -wide methodology to map, assess and achieve good 
condition of eco systems so they can deliver benefits such as climate regulation, 
water regulation, soil health, pollination and disaster prevention and protection.  
 
 In that context,  the Commission will request and support Member States to raise 
the level of implementation of existing legislation within clear deadlines. It will 
in particular request Member States to ensure  no deterioration in conservation 
trends and status of all prot ected habitats and species by 2030 30. In addition, 
Member States will have to ensure that at least 30% of species and habitats not 
                                                 
28  Notably the EU Birds Directive  (2009/147/EC), Habitats Directive  (92/43/EEC), Water Framework 
Directive (2000/60/EC), Floods Directi ve (2007/60/EC) and Marine Strategy Framework Directive  
(2008/56/EC). 
29  See Fitness Check of the EU Nature Legislation  (SWD(2016) 472) and Fitness Check of the EU Water 
Legislation (SWD(2019) 439). See also below, Section 3.2. 
30  Habitats and species listed under the Birds and Habitats Directives.