THE EUROPEAN UNION AS A NORM SHAPER ON BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION

Abstract

This research starts with the contributions of the European Union (EU) as a norm shaper in the context of the European Green Deal (EGD) and COP-15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The rules issued by the EU that influence the decisions of Member States and foreign countries are analyzed in order to examine the role of the EU as a norm shaper in environmental matters. Soft initiatives concerning the influence of the EU on the preservation of biodiversity globally are explored. The methodology used is qualitative, deductive, and descriptive. The conclusions were that the European Commission (EC) acted in monitoring the advances and setbacks of the EGD, filling a gap. A perceived fault was the lack of commitment by Member States to meeting the goals of the EGD. Russia’s invasion in Ukraine is seen as a factor slowing down the Green Deal’s plans for climate neutrality and the containment of biodiversity loss. The EU is pioneering in its Proposal for a Regulation on Nature Restoration (PRNR), and it was noticed that the ambitions for the COP-15 on biodiversity were ratified in the Conference. The EU sets international sustainability standards and is an environmental norm shaper.