Biodiversity and ecosystems protection: two European citizens' initiatives registered by the Commission

The European Commission registered two European Citizens' Initiatives (ECIs) on the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, announced the institution on 19/05/2026.

The first one, entitled "Rights for Nature : Empower Citizens to Represent and Protect Ecosystems", invites the Commission to "recognise rights of Nature in European law via a legal act such as a directive or a regulation to strengthen the protection of ecosystems".

In particular, the organisers "seek to move from treating nature as property to recognising ecosystems as living entities with intrinsic value and fundamental rights, including the rights to exist, to regenerate their biocapacities and vital cycles, and to be restored".

The second initiative, entitled "Reconnecting nature through the creation of European biodiversity corridors", invites the Commission to present a proposal to :
• reconnect nature in Europe through a coordination framework for ecological connectivity between inland water and land ecosystems
• and overcome ecosystem fragmentation and support biodiversity and resilience".

The organisers seek "to…