Scaling up: Policy as a scaling approach 

Scaling conservation impact follows three interconnected approaches: Scaling out, scaling up, and scaling deep.

Scaling out expands a successful conservation solution to new locations, adapting it to different contexts. Scaling up drives systemic change by influencing policies, governance, and institutional frameworks to create the conditions for conservation success. Scaling deep fosters lasting impact by shifting cultural norms, values, and behaviours within communities. 

These approaches work together as a mutually reinforcing system — while scaling out increases the reach of conservation efforts, scaling up and scaling deep create the enabling conditions that sustain and amplify impact.

Policy remains critical in scaling up by institutionalising conservation priorities and ensuring consistent action across regions. Unlike standalone projects, which may struggle to maintain momentum or expand beyond their initial scope, policies embed conservation principles into governance structures, making them enforceable and long-term.

By aligning regional and national actions with global conservation goals, policy work bridges the gap between aspirational commitments and tangible outcomes, creating the foundation for large-scale, lasting environmental impact.

This case study illustrates how a strong policy framework can remove systemic barriers such as fragmented governance, lack of accountability, or inconsistent regulations. Strong policy frameworks like this law incentivise conservation action through funding mechanisms, mandates, or penalties that encourage compliance and support. 

Impact achieved: Embedding conservation into law

This case study offers insight into scaling conservation impact by taking global ambitions and embedding them into enforceable national policies and frameworks.

WWF EPO’s scaling efforts entailed changing the high-level institutional rules of the game. This secured structural support for nature restoration in the EU by ensuring that conservation efforts are integrated into broader governance systems. 

The regulation establishes clear, science-based targets that align the objectives of individual EU countries with broader conservation efforts. It also sets goals for the restoration of damaged ecosystems (particularly those that can capture and store carbon, and address the impacts of natural disasters amid the climate crisis). 

The implementation of the law is anticipated to produce significant outcomes, including:

• The restoration of at least 20% of EU land and sea areas by 2030;

• Tangible improvements across key ecosystems (such as free-flowing rivers); and

• Enhanced ecosystem services, including water purification and carbon storage.

The law sets a precedent for scaling biodiversity goals by changing global legal frameworks, while WWF EPO’s journey in scaling restoration efforts, together with their partners, offers a replicable model for other regions. 

Seven strategic steps to secure the EU Nature Restoration Law

1. Identifying opportunities and setting goals: Following the 2019 EU elections and the launch of the EU Green Deal by Ursula von der Leyen, the new President of the European Commission, WWF EPO recognised a political opportunity to advance nature restoration within the EU Green Deal.

2. Building alliances and gathering evidence: WWF EPO collaborated with over 200 NGOs, including BirdLife, the European Environmental Bureau, and ClientEarth, to advocate for legally binding restoration targets. The WWF EPO also mobilised its European network, leveraging national offices and external partners to amplify advocacy efforts and demonstrate broad support.

3. Influencing biodiversity strategy: The office focused on influencing the EU biodiversity Strategy. By drafting position papers and participating in advocacy efforts, the team framed nature restoration as essential to achieving the goals of the European Green Deal. These efforts informed the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, marking a significant milestone in advancing the nature agenda.

4. Advocating for a strong legislative proposal: WWF EPO engaged directly with EU institutions, providing expert input through position papers, participating in stakeholder meetings, and contributing to public consultations. When political resistance delayed progress, the team launched public engagement campaigns, including petitions and the Move for Nature campaign, to demonstrate widespread public support.

5. Mobilising a broad-based campaign: Following the launch of the legislative proposal in June 2022, WWF EPO coordinated the NGO coalition to align advocacy efforts. The coalition released joint statements, organised monthly strategy calls, and engaged corporate actors, including Nestlé, Unilever, and IKEA, to demonstrate business sector support for nature restoration.

6. Responding to political challenges: Amid political opposition, including concerns over food and energy security, WWF EPO adjusted its messaging to highlight how healthy ecosystems contribute to long-term economic resilience. Public awareness campaigns, media engagement, and strategic lobbying ensured that nature restoration remained a priority in political discussions.

7. Securing adoption of the law: Despite political resistance, the restoration law was successfully adopted in June 2024. WWF EPO’s sustained advocacy, strategic coalition-building, and ability to adapt to political challenges were instrumental in achieving this outcome. In the final stages, WWF EPO focused on key member states to secure critical votes in the EU Council.

Moving to scale: Partnerships and adaptive campaigning made the difference

WWF EPO’s success in scaling impact stemmed from a systems thinking approach, integrating strategic foresight, partnerships, adaptive campaigning, and proactive planning.

• Dedicated, multidisciplinary team: WWF EPO’s success resulted from the collective strength of its team members, who used their expertise to shape policies and balance creative ideas with political viability. The role of passionate and experienced individuals played a key role.

• Forecasting trends: By monitoring political, social, and environmental landscapes over the years, WWF EPO identified key moments for action. For example, they identified the 2019 EU elections and the appointment of Ursula von der Leyen who initiated the EU Green Deal, as a political window of opportunity to push for legally binding restoration targets.

• Proactive planning: Even before the law was finalised, WWF EPO prepared for immediate implementation. For example, WWF Netherlands funded efforts to identify EU rivers in need of restoration, ensuring swift action upon adoption of the regulation.

• Strategic partnerships and coordination: Decades of relationship-building positioned WWF EPO as a trusted advocacy hub. They aligned stakeholders — including donors, governments, and civil society — while securing the support of corporate actors who publicly backed the law.

• Bold, adaptive campaigning: When political opposition emerged, WWF EPO pivoted from traditional advocacy to a bolder, more broad-based campaign, leveraging its NGO coalition to present a united front. Public engagement through the #RestoreNature coalition and platforms like Avaaz and WeMove mobilised nearly 1 million citizen messages urging decision-makers to act.

Navigating political headwinds: Overcoming resistance 

Political opposition and resistance followed after the legislative proposal was introduced. 

Advocacy work involves a level of uncertainty since the outcomes often rely on political decisions that are beyond the team’s control. Securing a majority in the EU Council proved challenging. WWF EPO focused on three key countries — Austria, Belgium, and Poland — to encourage their governments to support the law. 

Next steps

All EU countries must now devise national plans describing how they will implement the law to restore nature within two years of the new legislation being enacted. WWF EPO and the European WWF network will follow this process closely, to ensure that the plans are science-based and ambitious, and include priority nature restoration areas.