Hands Off Nature!
European Commission, including President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner Jessika Roswall.
Petition
We call on the European Commission to maintain strong EU protections for Europe’s wildlife, habitats and biodiversity by:
- Maintaining and strengthening the protections established by the Birds Directive and Habitats Directive.
- Not reducing safeguards for protected species, habitats and sites.
- Not making it easier for economic activities to cause damage to protected nature.
Europe’s nature laws have helped protect species and ecosystems for decades. Instead of discussing changes to weaken these rules, we need more investments to protect the nature we depend on.
Why is this important?
Europe’s wildlife belongs to all of us. And it is in danger.
From brown bears and cormorants to wolves, seals and countless other species, Europe’s wildlife is under pressure. 80% of protected habitats are already in poor condition, while biodiversity continues to decline across the continent. [1]
EU nature laws provide a framework for protecting the species and habitats we share. But now, our European leaders are bending to big corporations and proposing changes that could weaken these hard-won protections, making it easier for economic activities to affect protected areas, species and habitats. [2]
Healthy ecosystems help provide clean water, healthy soils, pollination and other services that we all depend on. And when habitats are damaged or fragmented, recovering them can take decades.
Yet Europe has also shown what strong protection and conservation can achieve. Species including the European bison, Iberian lynx and white-tailed eagle have made significant recoveries thanks to conservation efforts and legal protection. [3]
917,000 people have already signed the Hands Off Nature petition, backed by more than 200 organisations across the continent, all fighting to defend Europe’s nature and our future. [4]
We have until the 20th of October to reach 1 million signatures. On 23 October, we will take those signatures directly to Commissioner Jessika Roswall in Brussels. A million voices would show that this is not a handful of organisations speaking up - people across Europe want their nature and water protected.
Sign now and help us reach 1 million voices to protect our Nature. #HandsOffNature!
References:
- https://chateurope.eu/en/80-of-europes-natural-habitats-in-poor-shape-report/ ; https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/state-of-nature-in-the-eu-2020
- https://corporateeurope.org/en/2026/05/permission-pollute
- https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity_en
- https://handsoffnature.eu/
In partnership with:
