{"id":120973,"date":"2026-10-12T17:08:05","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T15:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/?p=120973"},"modified":"2026-10-12T17:19:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T15:19:39","slug":"eu-governments-push-to-slash-nature-funding-while-preserving-polluter-subsidies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/hr\/eu-governments-push-to-slash-nature-funding-while-preserving-polluter-subsidies\/","title":{"rendered":"EU governments push to slash nature funding while preserving polluter subsidies"},"content":{"rendered":"

As European environment ministers agree on an EU position ahead of the UN biodiversity summit, Germany and other member states are calling for more aggressive cuts in EU funding that would severely risk efforts to protect and restore nature across Europe, the European Environmental Bureau warns.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At today\u2019s Environment Council meeting, European ministers reaffirmed the importance of protecting and restoring nature and the need for Europe to step up its efforts ahead of the 17th<\/sup> UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17) [1]. Yet, at the same time, member states are still pushing for further cuts to the EU budget that would deepen funding shortfalls for nature protection and restoration, while maintaining public funding for environmentally harmful subsidies, the majority of which is linked to intensive agricultural activities.<\/p>\n

While France calls for more investment in nature across EU policies and financial instruments, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands want to cut the EU budget further, despite already proposed cuts to climate and environmental funding that threaten Europe\u2019s ability to deliver on its commitments to protect and restore nature.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo minister in Germany, Sweden, or the Netherlands would ever admit to their voters that they are willing to sacrifice clean water, breathable air, and a liveable climate. But that is exactly what these budget cuts will do – locking us into years of pollution and environmental decline while undermining EU’s position in the upcoming negotiations on global progress to protect and restore nature\u201d<\/em> said Sergiy Moroz, Head of Nature at the European Environmental Bureau<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The warning comes as Europe remains dangerously off track on its environmental and climate objectives, including those under the Convention on Biological Diversity, with already emerging consequences for Europe\u2019s food and disaster resilience and security [2]. According to the 2025 Environmental Implementation Review, there remains an over \u20ac18 billion gap in the annual budget to make these goals a reality [3]. Meanwhile, Member States are funneling between \u20ac34 billion and \u20ac48 billion a year in European taxpayer money into activities that pollute and degrade their own nature instead [4].<\/p>\n

Despite these needs, the European Commission has yet to clarify where the necessary public funding will come from, while promoting untested private financing schemes such as nature credits.<\/p>\n

The Irish Presidency\u2019s latest compromise proposal would cut the Commission\u2019s proposed Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) budget for the clean transition and decarbonisation by \u20ac3.02 billion, while the proposed EU Facility, which is expected to take over some of the functions currently supported by the LIFE programme after 2027, would shrink by \u20ac24 billion. The MFF has no dedicated budget line for biodiversity. [5]<\/p>\n

This contradicts previous Commission studies that say investing in nature is a smart investment with 38-fold returns, while not doing so has been and will be costing Europe hundreds of billions \u2013 not to mention the non-monetary costs. [6]<\/p>\n

The EEB calls on EU environment ministers [7] to:<\/p>\n