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Nature in the Spotlight: Synergy Between Climate and Biodiversity – France and Italy Lead the Way

France and Italy are proving that protecting the planet does not require choosing between fighting climate change and saving biodiversity. Instead, they are building a synergistic approach where every climate solution also strengthens ecosystems, and every biodiversity project helps stabilise the climate.



Why Climate and Biodiversity Must Be Addressed Together

Healthy ecosystems absorb roughly 30 % of global CO₂ emissions every year (IPCC, 2022). Forests, wetlands, seagrass meadows and soils are natural carbon sinks. When biodiversity collapses, these sinks weaken, and climate change accelerates. Conversely, extreme weather caused by climate change destroys habitats faster than species can adapt.

France and Italy, sharing the Alps and the Mediterranean basin – two of Europe’s most climate-vulnerable and biodiverse regions – have understood this interdependence better and faster than most.

France’s Dual Strategy: 30×30 and Net-Zero by 2050

In 2021 France adopted the National Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the Climate and Resilience Law in parallel. The magic number is “30×30”: protect 30 % of land and sea by 2030, with 10 % under strict protection.

Key achievements so far (November 2025):

  • Calanques National Park (Marseille) extended marine protected zones; seagrass restoration now sequesters 15 000 tonnes of CO₂ annually.
  • Amazonian Park of French Guiana – world’s largest tropical rainforest national park – received an additional €47 million for anti-deforestation patrols and indigenous-led management.
  • The “Territories Engagés pour la Nature” programme: over 750 local authorities committed to zero-net-artificialisation and biodiversity-friendly urban planning.

Stakeholder involvement is central: farmers, fishers, NGOs, indigenous communities and industries sit at the same table through the National Biodiversity Committee and regional COP locales.

Italy’s Mediterranean Leadership

Italy protects over 20 % of its territory with 24 national parks, 134 regional parks and 30 marine protected areas. In 2023 the government launched the Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR) biodiversity chapter worth €3.6 billion.

Flagship projects:

  • Portofino Marine Protected Area – seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) restoration doubled blue carbon storage since 2021.
  • Gran Paradiso and Stelvio National Parks – joint France-Italy reintroduction programme brought the Alpine ibex population to over 55 000 individuals, stabilising high-altitude meadows that prevent erosion and landslides.
  • “Adotta un Alberello” (Adopt a Little Tree) – citizens and companies financed the planting of 7.2 million trees in degraded areas, absorbing an estimated 2.8 million tonnes of CO₂ over 20 years.

Italy also created the National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC) in 2024 – a €350 million research hub connecting universities, conservation NGOs and businesses.

Cross-Border Synergy: The Alpine and Mediterranean Macro-Regions

France and Italy do not work in isolation.

  • The EUSALP (EU Strategy for the Alpine Region) coordinates climate adaptation and lynx/capercaillie conservation across seven countries.
  • The WestMED Initiative unites France, Italy, Spain and North African countries for sustainable blue economy and marine biodiversity.
  • The 2024 France-Italy Joint Declaration on Nature commits both countries to align their 30×30 targets and share carbon-credit methodologies for restored wetlands.

Citizen and Corporate Engagement

Both countries understood that governments alone cannot succeed.

  • France’s Labeled “Entreprises Engagées pour la Nature” counts more than 1 200 companies reducing their footprint and financing restoration projects.
  • Italy’s Life Terra project empowered over 120 000 volunteers to plant native trees.
  • The Fête de la Nature (France) and Settimana della Natura (Italy) attract millions every year, turning awareness into action.

Challenges That Remain

Despite progress, agricultural intensification, urban sprawl and tourism pressure still threaten biodiversity hotspots. Funding gaps persist: France estimates it needs €3–4 billion annually until 2030; Italy €2 billion. Public-private partnerships and EU funds (LIFE programme, Recovery and Resilience Facility) are filling part of the gap, but more is needed.

Conclusion: A Model for the World

France and Italy show that when climate policy and biodiversity policy speak the same language, results multiply. Protected forests cool the planet and shelter endangered species. Restored wetlands store carbon and protect coasts from rising seas. Engaged stakeholders – from indigenous guardians to urban citizens – become the strongest force for change.

The message is clear: Nature is not a victim we must save separately from the climate. Nature is the solution we activate together.

Explore more stories of hope and action on Natural World 50 – your window into the beauty and resilience of our planet.

Sources

  • Ministère de la Transition Écologique (France) – Stratégie Nationale Biodiversité 2030
  • Italian Ministry for Ecological Transition – PNRR Missione 2 Componente 4
  • IPBES-IPCC Co-Sponsored Workshop Report on Biodiversity & Climate Change (2021)
  • European Environment Agency – State of Nature in the EU 2025
  • Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso & Parc National de la Vanoise joint reports
  • WestMED Initiative – 2024 Progress Report
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