Question 84 from UPSC CSE 2025 - Current Affairs (Environm ent & Ecology)

Question

Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. The European Union

Strategy: Identify the unique phrase 'Nature Restoration Law (NRL)' and connect it with recent international legislative trends. The term aligns with European Union environmental policy nomenclature. The World Bank, OECD, and FAO generally do not enact continent-wide binding laws, especially under this terminology. Thus, EU is the only plausible answer based on institutional roles and contemporary news.

Key Info: The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) is an environmental legislative initiative by the European Union (EU) designed to combat biodiversity loss and address climate change by mandating restoration of degraded ecosystems across its member states.

- The NRL is the EU's first comprehensive law that sets legally binding targets for nature restoration, covering a minimum of 20% of EU land and 20% of EU sea areas by 2030, with the long-term aim to restore all degraded ecosystems in need by 2050. 
- Specific provisions within the law include requirements for restoring natural habitats such as forests, rivers, wetlands, grasslands, and marine ecosystems, and improving populations of pollinators like bees and butterflies. 
- The NRL mandates member countries to submit national restoration plans and regularly report progress. 
- The law is part of the EU's broader Green Deal and Biodiversity Strategy 2030, aligning with international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity. 
- The World Bank, OECD, and FAO are international organizations that provide funding, policy advice, and technical expertise but do not have the legislative competence to enact binding laws for entire continents. The EU, as a supranational body, is empowered to pass such legal instruments for its member states.
- The NRL came into force in August 2024 after formal adoption by the EU Parliament and Council. It is seen as a landmark initiative, setting global precedents in legal approaches to tackle ecosystem degradation and support climate resilience.

Answer

Option B: The World Bank

Answer

Option C: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Answer

Option D: The Food and Agriculture Organization