UPSC Prelims 2025 Q90: Environment & Ecology – International Environmental Treaties & Summits
- (a) The European Union
- (b) The World Bank
- (c) The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
- (d) The Food and Agriculture Organization
Answer: (a) The European Union
Explanation
Nature Restoration Law (NRL) — Who Enacted It?
The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) is a landmark legislation enacted by the European Union in 2024.
| Key Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Enacted by | European Union (EU) |
| Year | 2024 (adopted by EU Parliament and Council) |
| Goal | Restore 20% of EU land and sea areas by 2030; restore all degraded ecosystems by 2050 |
| Scope | Forests, wetlands, rivers, agricultural land, urban green spaces, marine areas |
| Significance | First ever EU-wide binding nature restoration target |
| Context | Part of EU's Green Deal + Biodiversity Strategy 2030 |
| Controversy | Passed with narrow majority after opposition from farming lobby and some centre-right MEPs |
Why this matters for India:
India is developing its own biodiversity restoration targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted at COP15 Biodiversity (2022, Montreal), which the EU's NRL aligns with.
Other organisations (why they're wrong):
World Bank = development finance, not legislation
OECD = policy recommendations, not environmental law
FAO = food and agriculture, not nature restoration law
Answer: (a) The European Union.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. The European Union enacted the Nature Restoration Law in 2024 as part of its Green Deal and Biodiversity Strategy 2030. It mandates restoration of 20% of EU land and sea areas by 2030.
- (b) Incorrect. The World Bank is a multilateral development bank — it provides financing and recommendations but does not enact legislation. The NRL is a statutory law, not a World Bank initiative.
- (c) Incorrect. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) is a policy forum — it produces reports and recommendations but does not enact environmental laws.
- (d) Incorrect. The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) focuses on food security and agriculture. While it promotes sustainable land use, it does not enact binding nature restoration laws.
Key point
Nature Restoration Law (2024) = European Union. First binding EU law to restore degraded ecosystems. Target: 20% of EU land and sea restored by 2030, all ecosystems by 2050.
Remember
Nature Restoration Law (2024) = European Union. First binding law requiring restoration of 20% of EU land and sea by 2030. Part of the EU Green Deal.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the NRL with IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity) — IPBES assesses biodiversity but doesn't make laws.
- Not distinguishing between a UN recommendation (non-binding, all nations) and an EU law (binding, EU member states only).
- Forgetting that the EU (a supranational body) can enact laws binding on its 27 member states — unlike the UN which only issues conventions and recommendations.
Exam tip
NRL = EU + 2024 + 20% by 2030. EU is the only international body that can pass binding laws (not just recommendations) on its member states. For biodiversity, the global framework is Kunming-Montreal GBF (2022) — NRL is the EU's implementation law.
Sources
- European Union — Nature Restoration Law (Regulation EU 2024/1991)
- EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 — European Commission
- CBD COP15 — Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework