After a summer of record heatwaves, devastating wildfires and drought, environmental researchers are urging European Union countries to step up efforts to restore ecosystems ahead of a 1 September deadline while flagging a €65 billion annual shortfall in the bloc's nature restoration funds.
EU capitals have just days left to submit their draft nature restoration plans to the European Commission, as mandated by the bloc's Nature Restoration Regulation.
The appeal comes after Spain and France lost thousands of hectares to raging wildfires and Hungary and Romania had to shut down part of their nuclear power plants as water levels in the Danube River fell to record lows, exposing the continent's growing vulnerability to climate change.
Researchers from the European Biodiversity Partnership Biodiversa+ are calling on EU member states to turn the bloc’s nature restoration law into practical action, arguing that healthier landscapes can help Europe withstand climate extremes.
The group frames healthy ecosystems as a form of climate resilience, helping buffer the effects of drought, wildfires and flooding while also supporting water security, rather than a biodiversity issue alone.
