Thanks to you and millions of citizens who spoke up, the EU’s Nature Restoration Law became a reality. 

This law sets legally binding targets to restore Europe’s degraded ecosystems and bring back nature on land and at sea. It’s our best chance at curbing the biodiversity and climate crises and helping nature bounce back. 

The landmark law was adopted in August 2024 following an unprecedented mobilisation – with more than 1 million signatures and messages from citizens, alongside repeated calls from 6000+ scientists, 100+ businesses, youth organisations, and +200 civil society organisations. 

But our work is not over! 

The next crucial step is implementation. EU Member States have until 1 September 2026 to submit their national restoration plans, with final versions due by 1 September 2027.

These plans will set out how governments will turn the law into action and the #RestoreNature coalition is gearing up to assess whether they are ambitious, science-based and effective enough to help nature bounce back. An overview of EU countries’ progress is available in the mid-term assessment published in December 2025.

We now have a unique opportunity to scale up solutions that are already making a difference. Across Europe, local communities, conservationists, scientists and businesses are working together to restore nature: bringing back wildlife, strengthening resilience to climate change, and ensuring we have clean water and secure food systems.

Our new photo series showcases some of these inspiring stories and the people behind them. They are the living proof that nature can recover if we give it a chance.