“It is extremely important to restore and protect nature. Just the way, the how, we really want more flexibility there,’ said Minister VVD. “I have specific concerns for the Netherlands and have also expressed them regarding the ban on spoilage outside Natura 2000 areas.”
Large number of measures
In June, the committee proposed a slew of measures to make nature healthy and reverse biodiversity decline. For example, the decline in populations of pollinators such as bees and birds must be reversed by 2030. The goal is to restore 80 percent of all habitats, from swamps to forests and seabeds, that are in poor condition. Existing measures such as naturalization, reforestation and the fight against pollution must be scaled up on a large scale. Measures to remove and store CO2 take priority. Not only within Natura 2000 areas, but also in natural areas outside them, a ban on deterioration of nature will apply, if it is up to the commission.
Van der Wal: ‘We are a very small country. We have to combine functions per square meter and if deterioration per square meter were banned in the Netherlands, that would mean that you really would have to have an overview of every square meter and until you had that, you wouldn’t be able to issue a permit. ‘
2030
Through 2030, no net green space can be lost in urban areas and through 2050, 5% more green space must be added. Van der Wal also supports these ambitions to green inner cities. “Only, if they decide that here in Brussels, we also have local democracy that has to deal with it”.
Each country will draw up a national plan “and we will stick to it,” says Van der Wal. EU member states will have to discuss further until the summer to reach an agreement and start negotiations with the European Parliament on the final legislation, predicts Van der Wal.