SERE declaration supports Nature Restauration Law

SERE 2024 is an international conference organised by the European Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SERE), taking place in Europe every two years. This year, during the last week of August 2024, the participants were working on the science, practice, and policy of ecological restoration. They came together in Estonia, Tartu, to share knowledge and discuss the future of European nature and its state.
Ecological restoration is a topic that holds a prominent place on both political and scientific agendas today. The decline in biodiversity demands our urgent attention, and degraded ecosystems worldwide require an effective and knowledge-driven path to recovery. The EU is actively working on the Nature Restoration Law, which entered into force on the 18th of August 2024, and has new and so far the most ambitious goals and actions to reverse biodiversity decline in Europe will be agreed upon.

The SERE 2024 conference in Tartu therefore served as an excellent meeting point during this crucial time to develop the most effective approaches for the long-term recovery of nature. It offered an opportunity to foster the reciprocal exchange of ideas, knowledge, and experiences among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from across Europe.

The 14th conference ended with a declaration, that was anonymously supported by 674 participants from 47 countries, reflecting a broad consensus on the need for decisive action to restore and preserve Europe's natural heritage. Also outlined several key recommendations for the successful implementation of the NRL. Immediate action is urged, taking advantage of existing scientific knowledge to begin restoration efforts across Europe's ecosystems. Long-term, coherent financing is also pointed out as essential and the establishment of a dedicated EU fund for biodiversity protection and restoration is of utmost importance, and a prerequisite to leverage private capital.

Read the full declaration here.