Protecting biodiversity

The Nature Restoration Law will soon be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council. If adopted, Member States will be required to develop national action plans to restore at least 20% of the land and marine areas of the EU by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.
Hungary is gradually using up and losing its natural resources. We have achieved our economic growth in recent years by increasing artificial land cover – i.e. by developing biologically active areas, making us the third-ranking country to do so among the EU Member States in the last decade. We are investing disproportionately little in human and social capital in the way of supporting the well-being of future generations, and are alarmingly neglectful of the maintenance and conservation of our natural resources and ecosystem services (National Council for Sustainable Development). WWF Hungary calls for a complex landscape management strategy and concerted action to address water scarcity, which we have the means and the potential for.

The main goals defined in Vision 2050:

Development of data-driven, regenerative, science-based roadmaps and methodologies for net-zero, nature-positive agricultural systems.
Accelerating product portfolio and supply chain solutions to spread positive consumption and positive eating habits
Provide effective training and tools that strengthen equity action, prioritize compliance with BCTI and membership criteria, including members’ human rights programs and access to funding.
Providing tools to drive investment, improve financial reporting, risk management and financial performance assessment to accelerate transformation of food and agriculture systems.

Barriers and enablers defined with our experts’ involvement:

BARRIERS (TOP3)

Large-scale agriculture typically seeks to consolidate production and food supply in order to increase efficiency, a process that leads to the impoverishment and destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity. The impending food crisis will be associated with further negative trends as large-scale agriculture intensifies.
Health awareness is weak in Hungary, with no change in eating habits over the last decade.
Neither water-resource management nor the value awarded to water is sustainable in Hungary; systems areoutdated; water run-off is high.

ENABLERS (TOP3)

More and more farmers need to seize the opportunities offered by the new national Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) measures (e.g. Agroecological Core Program, ECO subsidy, Integrated Pest Management subsidies, and the promotion of short supply-chain partnerships) which will help relevant actors to shift to sustainable practices, thus supporting and building biodiversity.
Pricing-related positive incentives can help consumers make healthier and more sustainable choices.
Untapped potential for the use of sewage sludge and compost in agriculture.