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Nature Restoration and Economic Productivity: A Harmonious Approach

Can efforts to restore nature coexist with economic productivity? A recent study reveals that the European Union’s ambitious Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) is crucial for achieving targets related to biodiversity and climate mitigation. Importantly, it suggests that agricultural and forestry output can continue unhampered alongside these restoration efforts.

Integrating biodiversity conservation within land management practices is essential for long-term sustainability. This approach ensures that ecosystems can maintain their vital services, such as pollination, water purification, and carbon sequestration, which are integral to agricultural and forestry productivity.

A focus on immediate economic benefits at the expense of biodiversity can lead to significant ecosystem damage, resulting in soil degradation, diminished natural pest control, and decreased resilience to climate change. Such degradation poses threats not only to nature but also to human livelihoods.

Through an integrated spatial planning framework, the study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, demonstrates that well-planned restoration initiatives can yield substantial environmental and climatic benefits, while still supporting food and timber production throughout Europe.

Lead author Melissa Chapman, an alumna of the IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program and recipient of the 2022 IIASA Peccei Award, notes, “We aimed to determine whether the goals of nature restoration and economic productivity are fundamentally incompatible. Our results indicate that, with meticulous planning, it is indeed possible to create scenarios where both can thrive.” She has recently taken up a position as an assistant professor at ETH Zurich.

Chapman adds that the project evolved from a modest summer initiative into a comprehensive, multi-year study reflecting ongoing policy discussions. This growth has made the findings more robust and relevant for policymaking.

Without implementing the NRR, biodiversity losses in Europe are anticipated to persist or even escalate, underscoring the urgency of restoration efforts. The research outlines how land usage can be optimized to achieve conservation, restoration, and production objectives across various economic and policy contexts. This analysis is especially pertinent as EU Member States prepare their National Restoration Plans, aimed at restoring 20% of land and water by 2030.

David Leclère, co-author and senior research scholar in the IIASA Integrated Biosphere Future Research Group, states, “There is considerable variability in how cropland, pastures, and forests can be managed, which subsequently impacts biodiversity, climate, and economic activities. This complexity poses challenges for understanding trade-offs involved in future EU land management, but it also presents opportunities to uncover solutions beneficial to both nature and economy.”

Martin Jung, another co-author and senior research scholar at the IIASA Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation Research Group, emphasizes that their methodology allows for the simultaneous consideration and planning of various actions and sectors. This strategic approach aims to reduce potential conflicts while more effectively utilizing each sector’s contributions towards food and timber production, nature conservation, and climate mitigation.

As EU Member States draft their National Restoration Plans, they will identify key areas, species, and habitats for restoration, establish baseline metrics, and develop implementation strategies.

Piero Visconti, who initiated the study and leads the Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation Research Group at IIASA, underscores the significance of their research. “This work and similar national studies can inform Nature Restoration Plans by helping determine optimal areas for restoration and conservation. Additionally, they can shed light on how these efforts can combat climate change while assessing potential impacts on industries like agriculture and forestry, thereby guiding necessary financial and technical support for these sectors,” he concludes.

More information: Chapman, M. et al. Meeting EU biodiversity targets under future land-use demands. Nature Ecology & Evolution (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-025-02671-1, www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02671-1

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phys.org