text: **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 pollution 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, health or 
  restoration efforts. These issues are exacerbated by the gaps in implementation that 
  prevent the existing legislation from achieving its objectives29. 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: 