Saxony’s Environment Minister Wolfram Günther welcomed the nature conservation law for the European Union passed in the European Parliament on Wednesday. “I’m glad that a progressive majority has prevailed against the blockers,” said the Green politician on Wednesday in Dresden. Preservation and restoration of nature are urgently needed.
On Wednesday, the European Parliament in Strasbourg voted in favor of a highly controversial nature conservation law for the European Union. After weeks of debate, MPs voted in favor of the project by a slim majority. This means that the project – an important building block of EU environmental policy – could be passed before the European elections next year. But this is not certain. The Christian Democrats in particular were up in arms about the project.
“We are seeing a dramatic extinction of species and an enormous loss of habitats, worldwide, but also in Saxony,” said Günther. The renaturation law is therefore correct and absolutely necessary. However, on-site implementation is required. Effective protection of species requires, for example, appropriate pre-emption rights for areas worthy of protection and funds for land acquisition. “In agriculture, we will only achieve protection goals with changed agricultural subsidies.” Günther hopes that the member states in the Council will quickly come to an agreement under these circumstances.
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