Realising biodiversity potential of Europe's quarries, mines and other extractive sites

Restoring Europe's extractive sites, including quarries, mines, sandpits, and peatlands, can transform degraded landscapes into biodiverse habitats that strengthen ecological networks and deliver key ecosystem services. Drawing on evidence from over 500 sites across ten countries, this policy brief identifies five key barriers to restoration and proposes corresponding pathways, urging authorities to align mining legislation with the EU Nature Restoration Regulation and integrate extractive sites as priority areas in National Restoration Plans.