The Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) (EU) 2024/1991 represents the first comprehensive, legally binding framework at EU level dedicated specifically to the largescale restoration of degraded ecosystems across land and sea. It establishes binding restoration targets for a wide range of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, marine, agricultural, forest and urban ecosystems, with the overarching objective of restoring at least 20 percent of the EU’s land and sea area by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. The Regulation requires each EU Member State to prepare a Nature Restoration Plan of how these targets will be achieved over time.

This submission is a response to the first public consultation on Ireland’s draft National Nature Restoration Plan. It was submitted in July 2026.

A wide range of human rights directly depend on thriving biodiversity and healthy habitats. In our submission, we highlighted the need for adequate resourcing for the implementation of Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan, the need to ensure policy coherence and the importance of public participation in restoration initiatives.

We also endorsed the Environmental Pillar’s nine key priorities for Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan.