Cap reform must support Irish farmers to tackle climate change
Issued : Thursday 8 July, 2010
82% of Europeans agree EU must help farmers to change methods to combat climate change
Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, on the future of CAP after 2013, Nessa Childers MEP said:
"It is crucial for the future of Irish and European agriculture that the reformed Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) "fully recognises and supports the role of farmers as key agents in the fight against climate change.
"European budgets and CAP in particular are under severe pressure due to the global financial crisis. However today the Parliament has expressed wide political support for a new deal that will aim to secure European food supply, promote sustainability and encourage rural development.
"In a 2009 Eurobarometer survey, 82% of European citizens agreed that the EU must help farmers to change the way they work in order to combat climate change. The reform of CAP must fully recognise the reality that the market alone can never guarantee the environmental standards we need in European agriculture in order to meet emissions reduction targets and promote biodiversity. The CAP must support farmers accordingly in meeting these obligations."
"For Irish farmers, the best strategy to defend the CAP budget is to make sure Irish agriculture continues to work to be part of the solution to climate change. Ireland's model of low-carbon family farming should be harnessed to promote high-quality Irish food exports, managing the land in an eco-efficient manner while creating new green and local jobs as part of our economic recovery.
"Extensive opportunities exist for Irish farmers under the 'public money for public goods' principle which must underpin a reformed CAP. This means reducing carbon and methane emissions, increasing sequestration of carbon in soil through sustainable production methods and through the production of biomass that can be used in long-lasting agro-materials. Irish farmers must also maintain our landscapes, help farmland biodiversity, protect water quality and boost soil functionality."
