Accompanying ecological research on the greening of the Common Agricultural Policy
With the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, the European Commission decided upon a more environmental-friendly, “greener” first pillar. The effectiveness of the greening measures for nature conservation and environmental protection, however, is discussed controversially. In various projects we therefore pursue the question of the effectiveness.
Significant species decline in agricultural landscapes, continuing high nutrient inputs in soils and waters as well as European and global stipulations for biodiversity protection require an agriculture that focuses more on ecological aspects. To address these needs the European Commission introduced a “greening” through the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that should strengthen the ecological sustainability of agriculture. Since 1 January 2015, a part of the direct payments of the first pillar is linked to farming practices promoting climate and environmental protection with three measures:
Under certain conditions farms are excluded from greening, for example organic farms. Currently, there is a controversial discussion on the ecological effectiveness of EFA. It is also disputed whether the high administration and monitoring effort of those measures is proportionate. A mid-term evaluation of the European Commission in 2017 should give information on the effectiveness of the measures on the preservation of biological diversity as well as the protection of water, climate and soil. Based on the mid-term evaluation, changes in the greening policy are possible from 2018 onwards.
Ministries of agriculture and environment, farmers, consultants, official nature conservation, agricultural administration, European Commission
At the Thünen Institute of Rural Studies, there are several projects dealing with the effects of the greening on nature protection (see Links and Downloads). Their results should be used to generate practical recommendations for the evaluation of the CAP reform in 2017.
In the projects we especially analyze operational data from the federal states to find out more about the selection, implementation and ecological effects of the greening measures. The different focuses of the projects cover all three fields of the greening measures, supporting a greater contribution to ecology through agriculture in the future.
How are the new greening regulation implemented by farmers and what influences their decisions?
What is the additional conservation value of the greening measures implemented under the current conditions?
How could the benefit of the greening be enhanced?
How could economically favorable options for farmers look that create benefits for nature protection at the same time?
The project should show how, in addition to political guidelines, operation- and region-specific factors influence the choice and implementation of EFA and their ecological effectiveness. First results are expected by the beginning of 2016.
Further projects are related to this roof project:
4.2015 - 7.2023
Projekt type:
Funding program: BMUB - Umweltforschungsplan
Project status:
ongoing
Results 16 - 20 of 31
Results 16 - 20 of 31