Luxembourgish nature conservation NGO natur&ëmwelt has called for a “significant change in direction” for Luxembourg’s National Restoration Plan for Nature (NRP).

In a press release issued on Monday 11 May 2026, Natur&ëmwelt Asbl said that in view of the “alarming state” of biodiversity and ecosystems in Luxembourg, it called for an ambitious, coherent NRP that is adequately resourced.

"The National Restoration Plan for Nature must not become a catalogue of good intentions. It must enable a real change of direction, with binding measures, adequate funding and transparent monitoring,” said Claudine Felten, Director of natur&ëmwelt.

Natur&ëmwelt stressed that biodiversity in the Grand Duchy is under severe pressure, where it said that no surface water body in the country currently meets the criteria for good ecological status; around two-thirds of natural habitats are in poor or unfavourable condition; and many species continue to decline. It added that almost 30% of birds, 26% of butterflies and 35% of vascular plants are under threat. Forest health has also deteriorated sharply, with the proportion of healthy trees falling from 79% in 1984 to just 15% in 2024.

The nature conservation NGO welcomed the fact that the NRP is based on the National Plan for the Protection of Nature (PNPN3) and emphasised that this strategic continuity is important. However, it pointed out that no comprehensive evaluation has yet been carried out on the implementation of the PNPN3 or existing agri-environmental measures. 

The organisation said the future plan must represent a significant change in direction and must turn the stated objectives into specific, quantifiable commitments with funding attached and specifically called for stronger monitoring of species and habitats, centralisation of data in a common database and regular evaluation of the effectiveness of measures.

Agriculture as part of the solution

Natur&ëmwelt stated that a profound change is particularly necessary in the agricultural sector, as it currently exerts significant pressure on biodiversity and called for greater coherence between the NRP and agricultural policy. Livestock numbers and the use of plant protection products must be significantly reduced and agri-environmental support schemes must be made more attractive, targeted and effective.

It said nature restoration could also present opportunities for the agricultural sector. Farmers who preserve soil, water, landscapes and biodiversity should be recognised and rewarded for the ecosystem services they provide to society and advocated for instruments such as a common-good premium (Gemeinwohlprämie), a climate bonus for structurally rich landscape elements and stronger support for the restoration of permanent grassland.

Cross-country coherence

Natur&ëmwelt called for more ambitious action in urban areas, including genuine ecological management plans in municipalities, more binding standards for green spaces and trees and support instruments for greening and soil sealing. The organisation said it regretted the shortcomings of the consultation process, which was limited to six weeks, two of which were during the Easter holidays, and called for contributions from workshops and consultations to be transparently and traceably taken into account in the final version of the plan.

Natur&ëmwelt said it “believes that the National Restoration Plan for Nature must become a central tool for halting the decline of biodiversity in Luxembourg. This requires clear choices, sufficient resources and consistent implementation across

agricultural, urban and environmental policies”.

Natur&ëmwelt’s full statement is available at www.naturemweltasbl.lu.

SM