Brussels, 20/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - On 19 December in Brussels, the Environment Council ultimately decided not to provide any exact indications on the measures it will be advocating for greening the common agricultural policy (CAP) as part of the implementation of the EU strategy for biodiversity up to 2020. At the end of interminable discussions on the opportunities for entering into the details of these measures (see EUROPE 10519), the Council agreed to adopt unanimous conclusions on priority actions in the 2020 biodiversity strategy. These aim to protect different species and habitats, maintain and restore ecosystems, include biodiversity objectives in other EU policies, combat invasive species, strengthen the EU's contribution to international efforts stemming the loss of global biodiversity. Nonetheless, in an effort to achieve this unanimity, the Council simply removed paragraph 22 from the text, which indicated the list of measures to be taken in the context of CAP reform. This was done as a means of avoiding any encroachment on the prerogatives of the respective agriculture ministers but bitterly disappointed more ambitious delegations, the European Commission and environmental NGOs.
During the debate, the majority of delegations highlighted the need to include concerns about biodiversity in all sectoral policies, acknowledging that the EU will not be able to attain these objectives which it set out for stemming the decline of biodiversity and degradation in eco-systemic services and restoring these ecosystems as much as possible by 2020. In its conclusions, the Council underlines the urgent necessity of reversing these worrying trends of decline in natural heritage through joint actions, partnerships and bringing on board other sectors to protect biodiversity and taking additional measures.
Marcin Korolec, the Polish environment minister, speaking on behalf of the outgoing Council Presidency conceded to the press that “the list of indicated changes to introduce to the CAP did not obtain unanimous support but the main idea is in the text (in paragraph 21)”. Speaking on behalf of the future Danish Presidency of the Council, Ida Auken, the Danish minister for the environment, provided assurances that “for us it is clear that we need to seize the opportunity of CAP reform to reduce the impact of agricultural policy on biodiversity”.
This did not mitigate the disappointment felt by the commissioner for the environment, Janez Potocnik, who stated: “Maintaining and restoring biodiversity in agriculture and forests is crucial if we are to attain our objectives. The biodiversity strategy has identified specific problems linked to agriculture, fisheries and forestry. It is therefore incumbent on the Commission to deplore deficiencies in any concrete indications on resources for strengthening the contribution by the common agricultural policy to biodiversity objectives.”
Friends of the Earth Europe (FoE) asserted that the attitude displayed by environment ministers demonstrated that member states are not prepared to take sufficient action for implementing the biodiversity strategy and stemming the alarming decline in different species worldwide. Friedrich Wulf, a member of FoE, said that environment ministers had to become involved in national level action and put species depletion at the heart of agriculture and fisheries. He was astounded by the lack of leadership shown by the Council with regard to these policies, given the seriousness of the situation.
Last June, the Council approved the objectives in the 2020 biodiversity strategy (see EUROPE 10403) but did not give its opinion on priority action. The conclusions adopted on 19 December are therefore the second response from the Council to the Commission communication “Biodiversity is our life and our natural capital - EU Strategy for 2020”. (AN/transl.fl)