Governance & Policy
Nature Restoration Law
European Union regulation requiring member states to restore at least twenty percent of degraded land and sea areas by 2030, with targets for specific ecosystems.
Definition
The Nature Restoration Law, Regulation (EU) 2024/1991, is the EU's first legally binding restoration instrument. It requires member states to put in place restoration measures on at least twenty percent of the EU's land and sea by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050, with specific targets for habitats, peatlands, rivers, pollinators, forests and urban green space.
Quick reference
At a glance
- Subject
- Governance & Policy
- Editorial status
- Editorial draft
- Definition status
- Established
- Last updated
- 19 August 2026
- Also known as
- NRL · Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 · EU Nature Restoration Regulation
Overview
What it means
Ecosystem restoration shifts from voluntary commitments to binding, measurable national obligations backed by restoration plans.
How it is used
Governments draft national restoration plans; conservation and farming groups negotiate implementation; companies assess biodiversity dependencies against restoration priorities.
Why it matters
It is the legislative centrepiece of the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the main tool for delivering international restoration commitments inside the EU.
Review
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