A new report highlights the urgent need for sustainable farming practices for EU climate change measures, as global disruptions challenge the agricultural sector.
The EU has seen heatwaves, droughts, and floods wreaking havoc on agricultural productivity. The Institute for European Environment Policy (IEEP), found that the EU is not doing enough to fix that.
The Report
In their newest report examining the first year of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) implementation, Elisabeth Nadeau and Axel Godfroy, found that extreme weather events have increased, and thus the reliance on crisis funds under the CAP and State Aid. For EU voters who have shaped their elections around climate change, this study comes at a critical time as the EU prepares for significant policy changes as a result of a new European Parliament and Commission.
According to the IEEP, the EU must shift to sustainable farming practices to provide transparency for farmers. This includes understanding the costs and benefits of different practices and adjusting payments to better encourage sustainable methods.
The report calls for increased reporting on the use of crisis funds and a centralized system to monitor State Aid. This ensures that funds get targeted effectively, especially as extreme weather events become more common.
The IEEP also urged the European Commission to evaluate the flexibilities and exemptions allowed under the Simplification package, created to optimize document and business transactions between merging entities. The Commission should understand the trade-offs involved in achieving climate, environmental, and biodiversity goals while reducing administrative burdens for farmers and authorities.
Takeaways
Farmers in the EU face significant challenges from climate change and environmental degradation. The report highlights that while economic support through the CAP is available, current interventions often allow farmers to maintain business-as-usual practices. Eco-schemes have the largest budget allocation under the CAP, but show mixed results. In countries like Spain, high uptake rates are attributed to schemes designed for easy adoption rather than ambitious environmental goals. Other regions struggle with administrative issues, lack of technical support, and unattractive payment rates, leading to lower participation.
The IEEP concludes that the CAP Strategic Plans need improvement to address climate and adaptation challenges effectively. While there is potential for amendments within the current CAP period, current trends show that Member States are often using these to increase flexibility for farmers, potentially lowering overall environmental goals.
