Hands Off Nature petition
Europe’s water is at risk and your help could make all the difference!
For the past 25 years, the EU’s environmental laws have protected rivers, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater. They set the baseline that keeps water clean, ecosystems alive, and people safe. Now, those protections are being challenged.
A push for “simplification” is gaining ground in the EU. Key environmental laws are being reviewed, delayed, or weakened. The anti-deforestation regulation is already facing setbacks. The Nature Restoration Regulation narrowly avoided being rolled back. Next in line are cornerstone protections like the Water Framework Directive and the Birds and Habitats Directive, both up for review in 2026.
If those laws are weakened, the consequences for people and the environment would be direct. Dirtier drinking water. More polluted rivers. Less protection for wildlife. Higher exposure to pollutants linked to cancer and respiratory disease. For anyone who spends time on the water, the stakes are obvious.
The Hands Off Nature coalition, supported by WWF, BirdLife, ClientEarth, and the European Environmental Bureau, is looking for support as European environmental laws face review and potential revision under the EU’s simplification agenda. The coalition demands to keep current environmental safeguards fully intact, to reject attempts to dilute environmental protections, and to respect scientific evidence and the citizens’ voice.
To learn more about the campaign and sign the petition, visit handsoffnature.eu
You can also visit the Free Rivers Fund website and their recent blog post for more info.
Photography: Anne Steinkogler
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