<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/17/eu-passes-law-to-restore-20-of-blocs-land-and-sea-by-end-of-decade>
"The EU has passed a landmark law to protect nature after a knife-edge vote,
ending a months-long deadlock among member states spooked by fierce protests
from farmers.
But a last-minute change of heart by Austria’s Green climate minister, whose
vote is credited with saving the proposal, led to fury in Vienna, with the
party of the chancellor, Karl Nehammer, announcing it would seek criminal
charges against her for alleged abuse of power.
“Today’s decision is a victory for nature,” wrote Leonore Gewessler on X after
the vote on Monday. “My conscience tells me unmistakably [that] when the
healthy and happy life of future generations is at stake, courageous decisions
are needed.”
In an extraordinary display of division at the heart of Austria’s coalition
government, Nehammer wrote to the Belgian presidency of the EU Council before
the vote urging it to disregard his minister’s support and arguing that she did
not have the right to take the position she had. Gewessler wrote in a separate
letter that the chancellor’s allegations were “incorrect”.
The nature restoration law, which has proved to be the most controversial
pillar of the European Green Deal and nearly failed at the final hurdle, sets a
target to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea by the end of the
decade.
Lawmakers and governments had watered down the proposal in the months leading
up to the European elections, in which far-right parties gained seats and green
parties lost them. But despite concessions, supporters barely won over enough
member states at the vote in Luxembourg on Monday.
“Today marks a significant day for Europe as we transition from merely
protecting and conserving nature to actively restoring it,” said César Luena, a
centre-left MEP from Spain who led the European parliament’s negotiations on
the law."
Via
Fix the News:
https://fixthenews.com/dawn-solar-age-same-sex-thailand-nature-europe/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
