The Nature Restoration Law is the European law aimed at protecting marine and terrestrial ecosystems that has the potential to become the most ambitious in recent times, but why should we care about this law?
The ocean, in addition to being a source of life and housing fascinating ecosystems, is our main ally against climate change. Its ability to absorb up to a third of the CO₂ emitted by human activities makes it a vital organ, a kind of lung of our planet. But for the ocean to operate at its full potential it must have healthy ecosystems and that is not the case in European seas.
Most of the marine biodiversity is in an unfavorable state of conservation, according to the European Environment Agency. The good news is that the ocean has the capacity to recover on its own as long as we remove the external pressures we place on marine ecosystems that are severely damaged by destructive fishing and overexploitation.
Recovery or restoration is, precisely, the cornerstone of the Law of the Restoration of Nature. After a long and arduous process in the corridors of Brussels, its approval is now in the final stretch. The European institutions, Commission, Council and Parliament, plan to reach an agreement at the beginning of 2024, or perhaps even before the end of the year, under the Spanish presidency of the European Council.
Spain not only has this essential role in the negotiations, but, as a country intrinsically linked to the sea, it also plays a lot in the definition of the articles of the law referring to the restoration of marine areas and this, sometimes, comes into play. in conflict with some fishing interests.
In this sense, the Nature Restoration Law is possibly the last opportunity to develop a legal framework that encourages the recovery of marine ecosystems and the correct application of the Common Fisheries Policy. This balance is possible through an article proposed by the European Parliament and supported by the Commission, which ensures coherence between fisheries management and the restoration of key marine ecosystems such as posidonia gardens, coral reefs and kelp forests.
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Restoring these habitats is essential, since they house a large number of vulnerable species of fishing interest, acting as spawning, breeding and refuge areas, which translates into more biodiversity. They also cushion extreme weather events, and are rich in carbon, being therefore essential for the recovery of the sea and constituting a natural solution against climate change.
In addition, there are social benefits derived from these habitats, since they create employment and new sources of income thanks to economic development for fishermen and coastal communities but also for tourism.
Fight destructive fishing
Although the negotiations are carried out by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge under the leadership of Minister Teresa Ribera, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, plays a key role in the adoption of this article. And if applied, destructive fishing could be combated within certain marine areas while ensuring the viability and long-term benefits for the Spanish and European fishing fleet.
Proof of this are the cases of the Marine Reserves of the Medes, Columbretes or Os Miñarzos Islands, where the fish are larger and more abundant, which implies direct benefits for artisanal fishermen. Planas must choose between supporting the immediate future of fishing without taking into account marine ecosystems, or a long-term vision where fishing can take place in an environmental framework that favors, mainly, those who develop it as a professional activity.
In Spain, only a ridiculous percentage (0.00025%) of waters are completely protected from destructive fishing, so it is urgent to increase that ambition. The current Government in office, and specifically Minister Planas, must show leadership in the conservation of marine ecosystems and safeguard fishing resources so that they are productive in the future. Now more than ever, Spain, as a fishing power and a benchmark in climate ambition, must be firm with the objectives set by the European Green Deal, among which it is worth reaching 30% of marine areas in marine protected areas by 2030.
To heal the ocean we must restore marine ecosystems, our future depends on it. We cannot miss another opportunity to safeguard this vital organ, the lungs of the planet are crying out for it.
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