The European Consortium of Natural Sciences and Natural History Museums and Botanical Gardens gathered around CETAF jointly are still backing the Nature Restoration Law and urge the decision-makers to approve the Law, without reducing its ambition.
After the passage in the ENVI Committee, characterized by a tight tie, the European Council sustained the text without a formal vote, but reportedly five countries were against and two expressed concerns.
On the 27th of June, the Nature Restoration Law will be voted in the European Parliament. If it passes the vote, the Law will be ready to go to the Trilogue, the last phase of its iter.
“The community quickly reacted when the Restoration Law has been put in danger in the European Parliament” – says Ana Casino, Executive Director of CETAF – “Two weeks ago, we jointly drafted an open letter to the decision-makers to show our deep concern and to push them to respect the commitments under the Global Biodiversity Framework at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 in Montréal last December. Of course, nothing has changed since then in our convictions. We shall not keep our eyes shut facing the accelerating climate change effects” – Casino continues – “the biodiversity crisis and the sizeable consequences on the food production and the health and safety of the populations.”
It’s worth remembering that almost half of the World’s richness derives from nature. CETAF members, all research institutions holding natural sciences collections, keep almost 80% of the World’s described diversity.
“They definitely don’t want to be holding more and more extinct species…” – ends Casino – “Nature’s incredible capacity to self-restore must be tirelessly helped by political actions. We can not afford to lose more time and resources, that’s why we are reiterating our request to our legislators and decision-makers – especially to the ones coming from the Countries who showed to be against the Law in the Council. We really hope the Nature Restoration Law will be approved on Tuesday in ENVI and will continue its journey through the Plenary to the Trilogue, to be fully operative before the end of the mandate of this Commission.”
