Let’s restore nature

Earth Day has been celebrated since 1970. It is April 22, when millions of demonstrators in the United States and Canada demanded that environmental protection become a priority for politicians and businesses. Since 1990, the day has been declared international. The acquisition of wide popularity has turned the initiative into a large-scale movement, which is evidence that people are aware of the scale and importance of the issues related to the protection of our planet. Over the years, April 22 has been celebrated with an emphasis on a specific current topic. This year it is “Restoring Nature”.

The need to take measures to preserve nature and restore what has been damaged is becoming increasingly relevant and urgent. We face serious challenges in terms of preserving and restoring ecosystems, as well as protecting biodiversity. Our future depends on how successfully we cope with it.

What is the importance of nature for life?

Nature is essential for sustaining life. It provides essential human needs such as nutritious food, oxygen, and resources. To fulfill its role, nature depends on the critical relationships between species and their habitats. This delicate balance ensures a healthy and well-functioning environment. When this harmony is disrupted, ecosystems degrade and lose their ability to provide the necessary conditions for life.

Nature is also the foundation of the global economy. Over half of the world’s GDP depends on materials and conditions provided by ecosystems. Raw materials are key to industry and construction, and genetic resources are needed in agriculture and medicine.

Healthy ecosystems are a prerequisite for increased agricultural productivity, greater resilience to climate change, better biodiversity, and reduced risk of floods, droughts, heat waves, and natural disasters.

What is the current state of ecosystems in the EU?

The statistics are more than alarming. Only 15% of habitats are in good condition, with 38% of fish populations significantly damaged. One in three bee and butterfly species is declining, with one in ten species threatened with extinction. Since 1991, almost 30% of field butterflies have disappeared, and since 1990, field birds have declined by 36%.

There is a real threat of a food crisis in the EU, as almost €5 billion of annual agricultural production is directly attributable to pollinating insects. However, around 50% of the EU’s land area where pollinator-dependent crops such as fruit trees are grown lacks suitable egg-laying conditions.

How can we reverse this worrying trend?

Nature restoration is possible through actions that help restore degraded or destroyed ecosystems by improving their structure and functions. The urgent need to ensure sustainability and biodiversity led to the adoption of a “Nature Restoration Act” by the European Council in August 2024. This is the first regulatory document of its kind with such a thematic and geographical scope, which defines the necessary measures and the deadlines for their implementation. Bulgaria also voted in support of the law, thereby committing to prepare a national restoration plan by 18 August 2026, accompanied by an implementation schedule and financial security.

What is the purpose of the Nature Restoration Act?

The goal set by the legislative act is to restore the good condition of nature and species in order to mitigate climate change and the consequences of natural disasters.

The law sets binding targets for key ecosystems and habitats and the species that inhabit them. In this regard, by 2030 at least 20% of the EU’s terrestrial and marine areas must be restored, and by 2050 this applies to all ecosystems.

What are the key areas of action?

The measures focus on degraded terrestrial and marine habitats, pollinators, agricultural ecosystems, urban areas, rivers and floodplains, and forests. The specific actions to be taken in each area are as follows:

  • Degraded terrestrial and marine habitats – the main task is to ensure thatthat habitats are interconnected to the greatest extent possible, so as to allow wildlife to move between them.
  • Pollinators – the aim is to halt the decline in pollinators and even increase their populations by 2030. Pollinators in Europe include butterflies, beetles, bees, hoverflies, moths and wasps.
  • Agricultural ecosystems – agricultural productivity depends on healthy ecosystems. Therefore, the focus, on the one hand, is on improving biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems. On the other hand, increasing sustainability in agriculture through the use of natural means of pest control and reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers.
  • Urban areas – the goal is to havemore green spaces in all cities and towns. The aim is to preserve existing parks, gardens, meadows, and to increase the amount of tree cover in large cities.
  • Rivers and flooded areas – of paramount importanceRemoving obsolete and unused barriers on EU rivers. This will ensure greater connectivity of river networks. By 2030, the number of free-flowing rivers in Europe should reach 25,000 kilometres.
  • Forests – The law calls for at least three billion trees to be planted in Europe by 2030. Forests are very important as they host much of Europe’s biodiversity and mitigate climate change .