Nature Restoration Law (NRL)

23.10.2024

Nature Restoration Law (NRL)

Why in the news?                        

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.

About Nature Restoration Law (NRL):

• It is a European Union (EU) law to tackle the triple crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.
• It is the first continent-wide, comprehensive law of its kind.
• It is a key element of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, which sets binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems, in particular those with the most potential to capture and store carbon and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters.

○Under the NRL, Member States will have to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea by 2030, including terrestrial, coastal, and freshwater, forest, agricultural, and urban areas.

○By 2050, the measures should extend to all ecosystems "requiring restoration".

○The EU NRL also targets an obligation to improve urban green spaces, contribute to free-flowing rivers by removing artificial barriers, increase pollinator populations, and contribute to the target of 3 billion additional trees throughout the EU.

○Member States must adopt "restoration plans" detailing how they intend to achieve these targets and ensure that the restored areas do not significantly deteriorate.

○While drafting these Nature Restoration Plans, Member States also need to consider socio-economic impacts and benefits and estimate the financial needs for its implementation.

Need for Restoration Law in India

• Land Degradation: According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas, nearly 97.85 million hectares (29.7%) of India’s total geographical area underwent land degradation in 2018-19.
• Global Commitments: India has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 as part of the Bonn Challenge and the UN’s Land Degradation Neutrality goals.
• Climate Change Vulnerability: Degraded land exacerbates the impacts of climate change, making regions more prone to droughts, floods, and other climate-related disasters.

Benefits of restoration

• According to the World Economic Forum, nature restoration could globally generate economic returns of up to $10 trillion annually by 2030.

○In India, restoring degraded lands would enhance agricultural productivity, improve water security, and create millions of jobs, particularly in rural areas.

• SDG Goal 15: The law could also help India meet its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 15, which calls for the sustainable management of forests and combating desertification.
• Climate resilience: Restoring ecosystems can also mitigate the effects of climate change, which exacerbates land degradation. Degraded land loses its capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, further contributing to global warming.
• International agreements: By restoring its ecosystems, India can enhance its carbon sinks and meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement.

                                                              Source: The Hindu

Consider the following statements regarding Nature Restoration Law (NRL), recently seen in the news:

Statement-I: It is a European Union (EU) law to tackle the triple crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

Statement-II:It sets binding targets on member states to destroy degraded ecosystems.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.

C.Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

D.Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct.

Answer C