Nature Restoration in Hungary: a shared responsibility, a local task

The latest episode of the Greenfo podcast, Nature Restoration in Hungary: A Shared Responsibility, A Local Task, explores the opportunities and challenges of implementing the EU Nature Restoration Regulation in Hungary. The discussion was recorded during the 35th National Meeting of Hungarian Green Civil Organisations held in Szentendre in May 2026, where representatives of local governments, environmental organisations, researchers, and practitioners exchanged experiences and perspectives on the role of local actors in restoring degraded ecosystems and strengthening climate resilience.

Nature restoration is no longer solely a conservation issue; it has become a key component of climate adaptation, sustainable development, and societal resilience. The European Union's Nature Restoration Regulation provides a new framework for reversing ecosystem degradation and strengthening landscapes' capacity to cope with increasingly frequent droughts, heatwaves, and other climate-related challenges. However, achieving these ambitions requires action beyond national policies. The success of restoration efforts ultimately depends on the engagement of local actors, including municipalities, researchers, civil society organisations, landowners, and local communities.

A central message emerging from the discussion is that ecological recovery should not be treated as an isolated environmental objective. Instead, it should be closely linked to water retention, climate adaptation, and human well-being. Restored wetlands, resilient forests, and greener urban areas can deliver multiple benefits simultaneously: supporting biodiversity, improving ecosystem services, reducing climate-related risks, and enhancing the quality of life for local residents.

Implementing restoration measures in practice requires balancing diverse interests and building cooperation across sectors. Long-term success depends on creating a shared vision among stakeholders rather than relying on short-term compromises. Scientific knowledge, transparent decision-making, and inclusive dialogue are essential for identifying solutions that are both ecologically effective and socially acceptable. In this process, local governments play a particularly important role, as many restoration actions are closely connected to spatial planning, water management, infrastructure development, and the management of public green spaces.

The discussion also highlighted that nature restoration should extend beyond protected areas. Agricultural landscapes, urban environments, and other human-dominated ecosystems all offer opportunities to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This broader perspective is essential if restoration efforts are to deliver meaningful and lasting results at the national scale.

Nature restoration should therefore be seen as an investment in the future. Healthy ecosystems contribute not only to the conservation of biodiversity but also to the resilience of communities and economies facing environmental change. By combining local initiatives with national and European objectives, Hungary has an opportunity to create landscapes that are better equipped to meet the challenges of the coming decades while delivering tangible benefits for both people and nature. The key challenge is no longer whether restoration is needed, but how quickly and effectively society can work together to make it a reality.