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Context:

The degradation of natural ecosystems is an urgent global issue, and India, with its vast geographical and ecological diversity, is no exception.

Details:

• With almost 30% of its total geographical area having land degradation, the need for India to adopt a comprehensive nature restoration law is more acute. 
• The Nature Restoration Law (NRL), which was enacted by the European Union (EU), is an inspiring model from which India can draw points to tackle its growing environmental crises.
• The NRL, adopted by the EU’s Environmental Council on June 17, 2024, is a groundbreaking piece of legislation that aims to restore the health of Europe’s ecosystems.
• According to EU figures, around 80 per cent of habitats are in poor condition. In addition,10 per cent of bee and butterfly species are threatened with extinction and 70 per cent of soils are in an unhealthy state.

About Nature Restoration Law (NRL)

Objective	Tackling the triple crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.
Significance	First continent-wide, comprehensive law targeting ecosystem restoration.
Key Element	Integral part of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, with binding targets for ecosystem restoration.
Restoration Target by 2030	Restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea, including terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, forest, agricultural, and urban areas.
Long-term Goal by 2050	Extend restoration measures to all ecosystems "requiring restoration".
Focus Areas	Ecosystems with the potential to capture and store carbon, and those critical to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters.
Urban Green Spaces	Obligation to improve urban green spaces and remove artificial barriers for free-flowing rivers.
Pollinators and Trees	Increase pollinator populations and contribute to the planting of 3 billion additional trees throughout the EU.
Member State Obligations	Develop "restoration plans" detailing how the targets will be met and ensure restored areas do not deteriorate.
Socio-economic Considerations	Draft Nature Restoration Plans while considering socio-economic impacts, benefits, and financial needs for implementation.

Why does India need a Nature Restoration Law?

• Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India, published by Space Applications Centre (SAC) Indian Space Research Organisation, which provides the extent of land degradation and desertification in India, states that the land degradation and desertification in the country has been estimated to be 97.84 million hectares in 2018-19. 
• India approximately 32 percent of the land is degraded, and 25 percent is undergoing desertification. Despite India’s vast agricultural land area and diverse ecosystems, land degradation and desertification severely impact its agrifood systems.
• At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP), 2015 in Paris, India joined the voluntary Bonn Challenge pledge to bring into restoration 13 million hectares (mha) of degraded and deforested land by the year 2020, and additional 8 mha by 2030.

What are the benefits of ecosystem restoration?

• Targets: India should aim to restore 20% of its degraded land by 2030 and all ecosystems by 2050, improving biodiversity and ecosystem health.
• Agriculture productivity: Nature restoration could generate significant economic returns (up to $10 trillion globally) and enhance agricultural productivity, leading to job creation, especially in rural areas.
• Improved ecosystems can enhance water security and overall quality of life, contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Restoring ecosystems helps mitigate climate change by improving carbon sequestration, supporting India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.
• Urban green spaces: India should ensure no net loss of green spaces, promoting urban forests in cities such as Bengaluru and Delhi, which face heat islands and declining air quality.

Way forward:

• Restoration measures are essential to face threats to food security. 
• It is fundamental to enhance biodiversity and increase sustainability in agriculture in order to ensure food production in the medium to long term. 
• As an example, using natural pest control and reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers increases the nutrient richness of soils and improves the health of ecosystems.
• The new rules will aim to remove many of the existing barriers in EU rivers, in order to ensure greater continuity in river networks.

Conclusion:

The proposed regulation requires the Commission to review and assess the application of the rules and their impacts on the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, as well as its wider socio-economic effects in 2033. 

Read in detail about the Law here-

EU's Land and Sea Restoration Law

EU's Nature Restoration Law

Source

THE HINDU

PRACTICE QUESTION Q.The proposed Nature Restoration Law by the European Union aims to address ecological degradation and biodiversity loss. Address the challenges related to implementation of this law particularly  in developing economies like India? (250 words)