In this lesson, you will learn about a new environmental law and think about how its ideas could be applied in your own community. You will practice extracting key information from a policy, using the passive voice for formal reporting, and proposing a local environmental project.
Hook: Your City, But Better
Think about the city or town where you live. Are there any areas that are neglected, polluted, or could be improved with more nature?
With a partner, spend two minutes brainstorming two specific things that environmental restoration could fix in your local area. Think about parks, rivers, old industrial sites, or even just streets with no trees. Be ready to share one idea with the class.
For example:
- "The old factory lot could be turned into a community garden."
- "The small river that runs through the city could be cleaned up so wildlife can return."
From Neglected to Natural
Ecological restoration can transform spaces into valuable community assets.
Skim: The EU Nature Restoration Law
Governments and organizations often create policies to guide their actions. In 2024, the European Union (EU) officially adopted the Nature Restoration Law. This is a major plan to help repair damaged ecosystems across Europe.
Read the summary of the law's main goals below. Your task is to quickly find and understand two concrete targets. A target is a specific goal that can be measured.
Summary: EU Nature Restoration Law
The primary goal of this regulation is the long-term recovery of biodiverse and resilient nature across the EU’s land and sea areas. It is seen as a crucial step to meet climate and biodiversity objectives.
Key Targets:
- By 2030, restoration measures must be put in place for at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas.
- By 2050, similar measures must be applied to all ecosystems in need of restoration.
- Specific focus is placed on restoring marine habitats, such as seagrass beds, and terrestrial ecosystems like wetlands, forests, and rivers. For example, a target was set to reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030.
- Urban areas are also included. Member states are required to ensure that there is no net loss of urban green space and urban tree canopy cover by 2030. A steady increase after this date is also expected.
Vocabulary: Policy into Action
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