The stated aim of the CAP is to ensure food security by supporting farmers and rural communities, whilst also advancing environmental protection, biodiversity, and climate action. The CAP is implemented in Strategic Plans defined by each Member State.
The auditors assessed whether the 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plans provide a sound basis for meeting the policy objective of a greener CAP, and produced a special report to summarise their findings.
They concluded that the Plans are greener than in the previous CAP, but do not match the EU’s ambitions for the climate and the environment.
The report gave suggestions on how the European Commission could further improve the CAP, including:
- Promote exchanges of “green” good practice in the Member State Plans;
- Estimate the CAP’s contribution to the Green Deal targets;
- Strengthen the future CAP monitoring framework for the climate and the environment.
Agriculture represents 13.1% of total EU-27 greenhouse gas emissions. More than half of these emissions derive from methane emitted by the livestock sector, 31% from fertilisers and manure related to animal production, and 11% resulting from changes in land use, like conversion of land to farm land for producing crops to feed animals.
With the CAP set to make up 31% of the 2021-2027 EU budget, €378.5 billion, it’s essential it sets an ambitious scope that will ensure future food sustainability whilst reaching climate goals and improving animal welfare.
The report is a reminder that the next CAP needs to take the recommendations from the Strategic Dialogue into account to help increase its sustainability, in particular the need for an Agricultural Just Transition Fund that supports farmers that transition to sustainable farming and, crucially, to higher animal welfare rules.
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