SoGreen Alliance sends letters of support for EU Nature Restoration Law

The SoGreen Alliance, a cooperation of eight European associations of urban green professionals, has sent today letters of support for the EU Nature Restoration Law to the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU and to EU-Commissioner Sinkevičius. On Monday March 25^th it was the intention to adopt the law in the Environment Council, but due to the fact that there was no qualified majority anymore the voting was taken off the agenda. The SoGreen Alliance is very concerned about what will happen next. In the letters of support the Alliance emphasizes on the enormous opportunities in the urban chapter of the Nature Restoration Law. The Alliance calls on the Belgian Presidency to take all efforts needed leading to the adoption of the law before the end of their current mandate.

In the letters to the Belgian Presidency, addressed to Belgian Prime Minister De Croo and Brussels Minister of Environment Maron, the SoGreen Alliance summarizes why the Nature Restoration Law is of great importance for the urban area. ELCA Secretary General Egbert Roozen writes on behalf of the Alliance: “The quality of life in the urban area is under pressure. Cities are, due to climate change, vulnerable. Heavy rain showers and high temperatures, that occur more in the future, lead to growing health, social and economic risks and damage. Cities can be a thriving force for the creation of innovative green solutions that have multiple benefits for a better climate, biodiversity and public health. The fact that the European Union is pushing this force forward makes that we act towards the same goals in the same pace. The EU wants to leave no one behind in the green transition that we must make. We underline the importance of the EU Nature Restoration Law by also having eye for the well-being of all citizens.”

True and comprehensive green transition
The EU Nature Restoration Law, the fifth and indispensable pillar of the EU Green Deal, sets targets  till 2030, 2040 and 2050. Roozen: “That means that we have a clear path way to develop. By making dedicated plans, we make the transition according to set ambitions on national and local level and a realistic planning. For too long the importance of the green transition in the urban area has been acknowledged, but the prioritization remained low on the agenda and actions were fragmented or depending on circumstances. We appreciate it that the EU takes now the lead in starting a true and comprehensive green transition wave in the urban area. The EU Nature Restoration Law is going to make the difference based on clear regulation and defined targets.”

Acknowledgement key-values of greenery and nature-based solutions
In 2011 the European Commission introduced the strategy Nature Based Solutions in Renaturing the Cities under Horizon 2020. Since then a lot of research and innovation on the effects of greenery and nature-based solutions has been done. “We act according to scientific evidence and are able to innovate. We appreciate it very much, that greenery and nature-based solutions are now a vital part of European policies to address the societal challenges that we face on climate, biodiversity and public health. We as urban green professionals bring in our knowledge and experiences about greenery and nature-based solutions to achieve and maintain these multiple benefits. We offer our support in the further elaboration of the law on European level and activate our members to be stakeholder in the definition and implementation of the national and local restoration plans”, according to Roozen.