The EU Nature Restoration Regulation establishes a legally binding framework to halt biodiversity loss and restore degraded ecosystems across terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, agricultural, and urban landscapes. Achieving its objectives, however, requires directly addressing one of the principal drivers of ecological decline: the harmful impact of chemical pesticides.
A substantial and growing body of scientific evidence shows that pesticide contamination is pervasive in soils, surface and groundwater, vegetation, air, and even protected areas. This contamination contributes significantly to the decline of insects, pollinators, farmland birds, soil organisms, and aquatic biodiversity. Such impacts cascade across trophic levels, undermining ecosystem functioning, agricultural resilience, and long-term food security.
This policy brief sets out science-based recommendations to integrate robust pesticide reduction measures into National Restoration Plans under Articles 4, 8, 10, and 11 of the Regulation. It demonstrates that reducing dependency on chemical pesticides, strengthening Integrated Pest Management, expanding organic and agroecological systems, and prohibiting the use of harmful pesticides in sensitive and protected areas are indispensable to restoring ecological integrity.
These measures also deliver substantial co-benefits, including enhanced soil health, improved water quality, pollinator recovery, greater climate resilience, strengthened public health protection, and more secure livelihoods for beekeepers.
Aligning restoration planning with ambitious pesticide reduction strategies will ensure coherence with existing EU legislation and respond to citizens’ expectations, while reinforcing the long-term sustainability, resilience, and socio-economic viability of European food systems. The responsibility now lies with Member States to act decisively.