New measures to protect nature in Grand-Duchy

Luxembourg’s Environment Commission has announced that a number of new measures will be put into place to protect nature in the Grand-Duchy.

Following nine meetings, the commission agreed on 60 amendments to the draft law concerning the protection of nature and natural resources.

Those changes come after the consultation of the State Council, which made several formal oppositions for articles of the draft law.

The reform of environmental-protection laws comes as the state of nature in Luxembourg “deteriorates”, the government said on its website.

As an example of this deterioration, it said Luxembourg had lost 80% of its wetlands over the last 40 years.

Overall, the draft law foresees several measures to further protect animals and their natural habitats and sets out sanctions for those contravening those measures.

Other major changes include the introduction of an “eco-points” system to calculate the compensation required for the destruction of certain terrain.

The draft law defines five ecological sectors, and any destruction in a given sector would entail compensation in the same sector.

The draft law also addresses constructions in ‘green zones’ – on which one is technically not allowed to build – and states that any construction in those zones needs to be linked to an activity that already exists there.

A committee to manage the 66 protected Natura 2000 zones in Luxembourg – which exist at the European level to protect the breeding and resting sites for rare or threatened animals – will also be formed as a result of the draft law.