Article: EU Common Agricultural Policy direct payments, Nitrogen balance and eutrophication of the Baltic Sea


Abstract

 Eutrophication continues to be a priority threat to the Baltic Sea and further reduction of nutrient run-off is necessary. Since big part of nitrogen inputs originates from agriculture, impact of common agricultural policy (CAP) direct payments needs to be assessed. According to our hypothesis the direct payments create a possibility to use bigger quantities of procured inputs like mineral fertiliser and farm animal fodder than would otherwise be used, thus contributing to surplus nitrogen that is leading to the run-off and thus eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. We checked the hypothesis by comparing the payment levels to nitrogen balances and use in EU member states. The analysis revealed a reliable correlation between these, that is consistent with our hypothesis of higher payments leading to bigger surplus and hence contributing to eutrophication. We therefore conclude that CAP direct payments are a case of environmentally harmful subsidy and abolishing these would represent a cost-effective measure on the way to improve environmental status of the Baltic Sea.

 Read the whole article written by experts of Estonian Fund for Nature A.Lotman and K. Kasak HERE!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PRESS RELEASE: European Union’s agricultural policy needs a significant change

Image
Environmental and agricultural organisations, farmers, scientists, officials and other participants attended a conference on 1st and 2nd of September in Tallinn and Matsalu to discuss the future of the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP). Despite their versatile background, most speakers found that the CAP requires significant changes. Multiple participants signed an open letter addressed to the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the European Union and other relevant EU decision-makers with their proposals how to repair the policy. Speakers at the conference stressed the importance of agriculture in providing food and various public goods. At the same time negative sides of the present-day agriculture like impact on water, problems with pesticides, biodiversity loss, hardship faced by family farms and land grabbing were discussed. Positive examples of dealing with these problems were also presented. The overall conclusion shared by most speakers, however, was that CAP does secur...
Read more

A piece of somewhat better news. Version 2.0.

Image
I have written a post with a similar name  and this is indeed something linked both in substance and in form. The two stories form an interesting pair of mosaic mirror images, where some aspects are almost identical and some more or less precisely opposite. Several chemicals, including many biocides and pesticides can disrupt the endocrine system. Such effects have been documented long ago and are now considered a major hazard. European Parliament held a vote on the subject of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the beginning of October. The Commission had, after long delay finally adopted a delegated regulation on EDCs – something that the European Court of Justice had demanded it to do long ago. The delegated regulation, however, fell short of what is necessary to protect our health and environment from the hazards of EDCs, and as such was not in accord with the delegated powers given to the Commission by the existing regulations on pesticides and bio...
Read more

Conference in Estonia: "CAP 2020. Towards sustainable agriculture"

Image
We are pleased to invite you to attend the conference "CAP 2020. Towards sustainable agriculture" - an international event dedicated to the future of EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). What? The conference is focused on the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and its reform. Is CAP sustainable? What do we expect from CAP after 2020? How can the next CAP support a living land? What kind of CAP would keep family farms alive? What kind of CAP would ensure the development of organicproduction? Farmers, farmers organisations, NGOs and public sector representatives from all over the Europe will share their views and hopes on today and for future common agricultural policy. The aim is to have open discussions on CAP reform and to reach more balanced and environmentally sustainable agriculture. The event has two parts: On the 1st of September 2017 there is a conference in Tallinn. On the 2nd of September 2017 there is a seminar and farm visits in different parts...
Read more