Four major EU‑funded Sister Projects, ALFAWetlands, RESTORE4Cs, REWET and WET HORIZONS, have joined forces with ForPeat, Wetland4Change and Palus Demos to publish a landmark white paper, Prioritising Wetland Conservation and Restoration in Europe | United voices for more policy impact. The document synthesises scientific evidence, policy analysis and on‑the‑ground experience from across Europe, calling for urgent, coordinated action to halt wetland degradation and accelerate restoration.
Wetlands are among Europe’s most valuable ecosystems, providing essential services such as water purification, flood regulation, carbon storage, coastal protection, biodiversity support and socio‑economic benefits for local communities. Yet they continue to be lost and degraded due to drainage, reclamation, land‑use change and climate pressures. As highlighted in the white paper, this degradation is turning wetlands from carbon sinks into greenhouse gas sources, undermining EU climate commitments and increasing vulnerability to extreme weather events.
Drawing on experiences from restoration projects across Europe, the authors identify four strategic priorities that should guide future policy development. These include improving coherence across European policy frameworks, mobilising both public and private investment, enabling restoration at landscape scale through coordinated governance, and strengthening monitoring systems alongside meaningful stakeholder participation.
Drawing on evidence from multiple EU initiatives, including REWET, WET HORIZONS, ALFAWetlands, RESTORE4Cs, ForPeat, Wetland4Change and Palus Demos, the paper outlines how current EU policy frameworks such as the Nature Restoration Regulation, Water Framework Directive, Common Agricultural Policy and LULUCF Regulation can be leveraged to accelerate wetland restoration. It also highlights opportunities linked to the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Regulation (CRCF) and global frameworks such as the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The white paper illustrates how these approaches are already delivering results on the ground. Case studies from Finland illustrate how coordinated national programmes, voluntary landowner participation and blended financing mechanisms can successfully restore thousands of hectares of peatlands. Experiences from Germany show the importance of participatory governance and the development of sustainable bio-based value chains to make restoration economically viable. Meanwhile, work carried out in Spain highlights the need for restoration strategies tailored to the specific hydrological characteristics of each wetland, supported by robust monitoring and scientific evidence.
The Sister Projects call on EU institutions, Member States, regional authorities and stakeholders to act decisively:
“Wetland restoration is not only an environmental imperative, it is a strategic investment in Europe’s climate resilience, water security and long‑term socio‑economic well‑being.”
Download the full white paper below:
