European Union lawmakers back a major plan to protect nature and fight climate change

The European Union’s parliament has backed in a cliffhanger vote a major plan to protect nature and fight climate change. The European Parliament supported the European Commission plan in a razor-thin 324-312 vote with 12 abstentions on Wednesday. The bill is a key part of the EU’s vaunted European Green Deal that seeks to establish the world’s most ambitious climate and biodiversity targets and make the bloc the global point of reference on all climate issues. The plans proposed by the EU’s executive commission set binding restoration targets for specific habitats and species, with the aim by 2030 to cover at least 20% of the region’s land and sea areas.