Co2-Handel.de - Das Portal zum Emissionshandel und Klimaschutz
Sie sind hier: Home » Politik » EU
Seite empfehlen

European Parliament about CAP and climate change: agriculture can help slow global warming (28.01.2010)

Agriculture can help to slow climate change, but should be ready to adapt to the impact of global warming, said Agriculture Committee MEPs and scientists at a public hearing on Wednesday (27.01.10)."Agriculture can provide solutions for the future", given its direct relationship with the earth and living things, said Parliament's rapporteur report on agriculture and climate change Stephan Le Foll (S&D, FR).

Image: Pixelio/madmaxA new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is therefore needed to take account of the impact of global warming and to mitigate climate change. "A new CAP", as "manager of the bio-sphere", would guarantee the transition to a new model of production and "ecologically, economically and socially efficient agriculture", he added.

The future CAP can help mitigate global warming mitigation in three ways: limiting its own greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, promoting carbon storage in the soil and producing sustainable and renewable energies, says Mr Le Foll's draft report. Wednesday's hearing contributed to discussion of this report, which is to be put to a committee vote on 17 March.

European ParliamentCarbon capture

"Conservation agriculture" is the way to reconcile farming and the environment, said US Department of Agriculture scientist Donald Reicosky. He explained that soil carbon sequestration can offer several opportunities to improve the ecosystem. Carbon in the soil increases water holding capacity and reduces erosion, but it can also reduce air pollution, fertiliser inputs and capacity to handle waste materials. To this end, "limiting soil disturbance and improving the cropping system" are the first steps to take, said Mr Reicosky in reply to questions by Mairead McGuinness (EPP, IE), George Lyon (ALDE, UK) and Luis Capoulas Santos (S&D, PT).

What role for the CAP?

The CAP should "focus on maintaining agricultural traditions and the policy should be kept as strong as it has been in the past", said Esther Herranz Garcia (EPP, ES). Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, DE) instead stressed the need to give more support to rural development projects, the so-called "second pillar" of the CAP.

"Across Europe, forestry and agri-environmental measures within the second pillar of the CAP are already making a substantial contribution to climate change mitigation, said Rob Cooke, Director of Natural England, a UK government advisory body. Although these measures are not the main tool for reducing GHG emissions or boosting renewable energy production, "the carbon savings that they deliver come with an assurance that they have been achieved in a way (...) that is consistent with principles of sustainability", he said.

José Bové (Greens/EFA, FR) said the CAP economic model had failed to help the sector. "We need to change the model" and deliver "a new CAP able to turn its back on 30 years of mistakes", he concluded.

Are future scenarios too catastrophic?

John Agnew (EFD, UK), questioned the reliability of future scenarios based on available scientific data. Albert Dess (EPP, DE) agreed and stressed that "there is little accountability for false predictions". Frank O'Mara, research director at Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, replied: "I am not qualified to answer, but I think that progress is possible if we involve everybody to find the right solutions".

Adapting to climate change: costs unclear

"Adaptation and mitigation are linked and complementary strategies", said Jan Verhagen, agrosystems researcher at Wageningen University, adding that "integrating climate change in agricultural plans and policies is the way forward". Nevertheless, he stressed, adaptation and mitigation costs are "still unclear". For an agriculture able to "look after the earth, a combination of old and new methods" is the best solution, said Marit Paulsen (ALDE, SE).

Impact of climate change: how to deal with

The impact of climate change on agriculture could result in water shortages and drought, new diseases, heat stress for animals and risks liked to extreme weather events, said Maciej Jerzy Sadowski, from the Expert Advisory Group, "Global Change" EU research programme. Increasing the resilience of farming systems, improving water management and reserving lands for future production are key factors for a long-term policy response, he said.

Mairead McGuinness (EPP, IE) noted that, despite differences on the urgency of tackling climate change, all agreed that "the real issue is better resource management".


Source: European Parliament


Aktuelle Markdaten und Börsenkurse

Climate Change News by Climate Ark

11.03.2010

MEPs back fresh EU money to develop low-carbon technologies

Car safety: European Commission welcomes international agreement on electric and hybrid cars

Umwelthilfe: Bundesregierung zeigt bei Kleinlastern wieder ein Herz für Klimakiller

EU: Deutschland wird wahrscheinlich EU-Klimaziel übertreffen

Sarkozy will Devisensteuer für Klimaschutz ab 2011

Klima: Kommission präsentiert Post-Kopenhagen-Strategie im Europaparlament

NABU: Zerstörung von Mooren, Wäldern und Auen kostet Millionen und untergräbt Klimaziele

Weltklimarat IPCC bekommt Kontrollgremium

10.03.2010

Klima-Allianz kritisiert Investitions-Vorhaben von E.ON: riskant für Klima und Anleger

Krise dämpft Eon-Geschäfte - Bernotat geht

Optische Chips reduzieren Internet-Energieverbrauch

Frost & Sullivan: Deutschland bleibt führend bei Biogasanlagen

PIK-Studie: Ruhende Sonne würde globale Erwärmung kaum abschwächen

KWK-Hersteller 2G Bio-Energietechnik AG hat 2009 Umsatz verdoppelt

DIW: Fast jeder zwanzigste Arbeitnehmer arbeitet im 'grünen Bereich'

09.03.2010

EU-Kommission erlaubt Beihilfe für Klimaschutzprojekt bei ArcelorMittal

Röttgen prüft Hilfe für klimabedrohte Malediven

Wuppertal Institut erforscht private und betriebliche Nutzung von Elektrofahrzeugen

Interaktion von Individuen als Hoffnungsschimmer für das Weltklima?

Energieverbrauch 2009 so niedrig wie vor 40 Jahren

Muscheln als Klima-Lexikon

EU: UN-Klimavertrag könnte doch erst 2011 kommen

Studie: Export alter Elektrogeräte schadet globalem Klima- und Umweltschutz

08.03.2010

Schweiz: Bundesrat ebnet Weg für klimafreundliche und energieeffiziente Gebäudesanierungen

Merkel warnt vor Stillstand im Klimaschutz

EUA-Newsl KW 09/2010

Südafrika nominiert Tourismusminister zum UN-Klimachef

Sarkozy fordert Finanzhilfe für Atomindustrie

BEE: Regierungskoalition konterkariert ihre Bekundungen zu Erneuerbaren Energien

Greenmarket: Trading Large Hydro-CERs on carbon exchanges

dena-Gutachten: Deutschland braucht Stromspeicher

Bayern will Steuerfreiheit für Elektro-Autos

06.03.2010

Merkel will sich bei Atomlaufzeiten nicht festlegen

Ruhrgebiet plant Ökostadt für 50 000 Menschen

05.03.2010

Germanwatch kritisiert:Koalition verwässert Klimaversprechen der Bundesregierung

Töpfer wird Desertec-Berater

EU: Zweiter Teil des 4-Milliarden-Euro-Pakets geht an 43 Gas- und Stromprojekte

Das Jahr 2009 brachte einen Förderrekord bei Erneuerbaren Energien im Wärmebereich

Klimaschutz: Treibhausgasemissionen im Jahr 2009 um 8,4 Prozent gesunken

Röttgen: Hightech entscheidend für Klimaschutz

EEX Handelsergebnisse für CO2-Emissionsrechte im Februar

Methangas blubbert aus dem sibirischen Meeresgrund