As partners of the Dialogue4Nature Interreg EuroMED Governance Project, we are facing the last 2024-year mile by co-organizing the second working group webinar on October 8th, 2024. The focus was on the recently approved EU Nature Restoration Law.

The session hosted over 80 participants from Interreg EuroMed governance and thematic projects partners organizations, as well as associated partners.

This was a space to enhance understanding of the EU Nature Restoration Law (EU NRL), focusing on its objectives, key provisions, and implementation challenges. It aimed to develop preliminary positions and recommendations for NRL implementation and draft the Mission’s 4 Nature position paper, which we will present during the  Annual Institutional Dialogue next November in Málaga.

After a policy update on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and a presentation on EU NRL content, the participants were invited to choose one of the four working groups (WG) break-out rooms to have a collective discussion on the implementation of this law according to the specific theme of each WG. Each WG leader facilitated the conversation using a participative online tool to gather everybody’s input on questions related to local policies, particular challenges, possible actions, and identified actors. From MedCities’ side, we have been leading the WG 2 discussion, focused on climate change adaptation opportunities that this law brings to our work.   +

As a project, the next stop will be the Annual Dialogue that will be held in Málaga in November. We will have the opportunity to have meaningful discussions on nature conservation strategies. This year, the focus will be on marine and coastal restoration, a critical topic as we strive to restore at least 20% of the world’s land and sea areas by 2030, as outlined in Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework and the EU Nature Restoration Law’s objective of ensuring that 30% of terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, and marine ecosystems are in good condition by 2030.