The decision was made during a meeting of EU environment ministers in Luxembourg on Monday morning.

Twenty EU countries voted in favour of the law, allowing it to come into effect in the coming weeks. Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, and Hungary voted against it, while Belgium abstained.

The law mandates that all member states implement measures to restore nature on at least 20% of their land and sea by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050.

The Irish Farmers’ Association has expressed significant uncertainty regarding how the new law will be interpreted.

Minister for the Environment and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan called it a “future-looking” and important day.