Euroviews. The EU and national leaders must act urgently to protect Europe’s nature

The Nature Restoration Law is of great importance to Ghent and Europe’s other major cities.

It is now sitting before the European Council after intense negotiations resulted in a version of the law on which all political parties and European institutions could reach a consensus. 

On Friday morning, ministers are still discussing whether to go ahead with the vote at the upcoming Environment Council, but the time for discussion is over. We have a text that was formally agreed upon by ministers and MEPs in November last year.

This continued delay threatens the health of our citizens, resilience of our cities, and the very future of democracy itself.

For the Council to fail at this juncture to legislate on such a pressing issue would be a deep disappointment for cities and a huge blow to the European democratic process.

Europe’s national leaders must gain the courage of our local leaders and follow through on the commitments that we have collectively made to nature. 

In Ghent, nature restoration is not a "nice extra" — it is integral to adapting to the effects of climate change and ensuring the wellbeing of local people, as well as boosting the economy and agriculture. 

My city is increasingly seeing long spells of drought alternating with fiercely heavy rainfall that leads to flooding. For us, nature restoration is a way to ensure that we can retain excess water in times of plenty and keep the city cool when the sun takes over. 

We are working to turn the city into a giant sponge by unsealing the soil and planting trees — a movement catching on across European cities like Copenhagen, Hamburg and Groningen — taking up pavements in squares, parks, gardens and streets so that excess rainwater can soak into the city rather than