News

New: Policy brief & country fact sheets

How and where policy can make a difference

21/01/2025 A new policy brief, published in English, French, German and Dutch, sheds light on how EU policy can contribute to the restoration of degraded peatland ecosystems. In particular, it takes a close look at the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) which sets legally binding restoration targets for the Member States of the European Union. Country fact sheets for Austria, Belgium and Germany supplement the policy brief. They analyze the restoration targets according to NRR Art. 11.4 on peatlands currently used for agriculture. and provide important information for national strategies and decision-makers to promote the implementation of the restoration goals. The policy brief highlights the enormous importance of wetlands - especially peatlands - for climate and biodiversity protection and stresses the urgency of their restoration.

The policy brief and country fact sheets were produced in cooperation with the ALFAwetlands and WET HORIZONS projects. As case studies, the country profiles present the Living Labs of the ALFAwetlands project: the Zwarte Beek valley in Belgium, Lake Neusiedl on the Austrian-Hungarian border and the Upper Peene Valley in Germany.

Image: Distribution of organic soils in Germany and schematic representation of the restoration objectives in accordance with the Restoration Ordinance Art. 11.4 at present