Air Quality Policy Will Impact EU Livestock Farming
EU – Europe’s new air quality policy will be a ‘severe blow’ for farming, European farmers union Copa-Cogeca has predicted.
23 December 2013
1 minute read
Latest EU Commission proposals eye a 27 per cent reduction in air quality, which Copa-Cogeca has said, while an improvement on the previous National Emission Ceiling directive targets will hit livestock.
The organisation says the reduction target comes at a time when livestock production is already hit by high input costs and underlined improvements already made by member states.
Between 1990 and 2011, amonia emission fell 67 per cent in the Netherlands, 58 per cent in Estonia, 44 per cent in Belgium and 20 per cent in Germany, Copa stressed.
Union Secretary-General, Pekka Pesonen stressed that limiting agriculture in such as way coul threaten food security.
“We need to recognise the important synergies between air policy and other policies like climate change.
Measures aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutant emissions from agriculture could result in a drop in EU production, threatening food security at a time when world food demand is set to rise 60 per cent by 2050.
He concluded: “This must be taken into account. In addition, we oppose the inclusion of methane in the NEC Directive.”
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