EU鈥檚 agricultural policy gets final green light from Parliament
Today, the European Parliament听gave the final seal of approval to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)听for the period 2023-2027.听罢丑别听agreement,听which was negotiated between the European Commission, Parliament and Council of the EU, passed the听plenary vote听with a large majority.
Aerial view of field
The policy, worth around one third of the EU budget, is the bloc鈥檚 main instrument to support farmers, rural areas and food production.听The next听programming听period听will bring a new governance system and听will听determine听whether we听can听achieve the environmental goals听in听the countryside. The Member States鈥 national plans under the policy 鈥 known as the CAP Strategic Plans -听are already听under preparation.
'The lack of binding targets means that the responsibility of real change lies with the Member States.听Success in protecting our environment will depend on the design and implementation of the individual CAP Strategic Plans. We hope that national governments will rise to the challenge and ensure that only sustainable agriculture practices will be supported in future in the EU,'听said Alberto Arroyo Schnell, Head of Policy and Programme at 香港六合彩开奖结果现场直播 Europe.
The next听CAP听will be implemented in听the听context of听greater听needs and ambitions for environmental protection.听The European Green Deal, and in particular the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies,听set听pioneering听sustainability听objectives听for the coming decades.听罢丑别听intensification听of agriculture听is听the听leading听driver of biodiversity loss听in Europe听and听causes听detrimental听greenhouse emissions.听It is of听utmost听importance that the objectives of听these听policies,听are well reflected听in the听implementation of the听CAP.听Although the CAP sets听key听objectives听on听agriculture and climate听change听mitigation, efficient soil management听and听biodiversity and听farmed听landscapes,听some concerns remain.
罢丑别听plans should set听concrete听targets and听actions听that听will align the CAP with the European Green Deal听and听ensure that the budget allocation fully supports听its听objectives听on biodiversity and climate. Both agricultural and environmental needs should be taken into consideration,听aiming听for long-term impact听and听ensuring, at the very least,听that听no significant harm is caused听as a result of national听actions.听Eco-schemes, one of the key听tools to increase farmers鈥 environmental commitment,听should听facilitate听real positive impacts听for听the environment听rather than听support听minimum听efforts.
However, preliminary results of an听听[1]听by听environmental NGOs听indicate that the听ambitions of the available draft CAP Strategic Plans are not high enough.听The results indicate that听most听plans听lack measures to reach the targets on landscape features and the protection of grasslands听and听peatlands, among other听flaws.听罢丑别听results听suggest that Member States need to听step听up their听level of ambition in their听plans听and also the Commission in the approval process.
Time is running out to reach Europe鈥檚 goals for 2030听to halt biodiversity loss and fight climate change.听Further pressure has been added听because of a听two-year听delay of听the听CAP programming period听to 2023.听罢丑别听design and implementation听of听these听CAP Strategic Plans听will听be crucial for听the future of Europe鈥檚听nature听and听countryside,听and听for听the well-being of听the听next听generations.
听
For further information, contact Edel Shanahan, Policy and Communications Officer, 香港六合彩开奖结果现场直播 Europe
[1] Birdlife International and European Environmental Bureau (2021),听CAP Strategic Plans: New assessment shows Member States fall short of saving nature
Pa铆ses como Brasil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia y Chile no son ajenos a las sequ铆as....
Durante dos d铆as, varios actores relevantes del sector del bamb煤 en Ecuador, Per煤 y Colombia se...
La Oficina Regional de la UICN para Am茅rica del Sur se uni贸 este a帽o a la celebraci贸n de la Semana...