ACR+ and a coalition of cities, regions, environmental authorities, national ministries, and partners of the Urban Agenda Partnership for Greening Cities, have issued on 11 June a call for the urgent adoption of the EU Nature Restoration Law. The letter addressed to the Environment Council of EU environment ministers, expresses our dismay at the continued delay in the adoption of the Nature Restoration Law, and highlights the dire consequences for nature and the dangerous precedent set by such inaction. It further underscores that the triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change is hitting cities the hardest, undermining the ecosystem services vital to health and well-being.  

Our coalition emphasises that the Nature Restoration Law is crucial for protecting green spaces and helping cities adapt to climate change. With 26 of the 28 European capitals containing Natura 2000 sites, the importance of urban green spaces for biodiversity and human health is clear. We argue that the law would support collaborative efforts across all levels of government and various stakeholders, creating more resilient and sustainable environments.   

Read the letter in full here.