The European Union must put an end to its “structural dependency” on synthetic fertilisers, warn 72 civil society, farming and academic organisations in a letter sent, on Tuesday 12 May, to six European Commissioners, including Christophe Hansen (Agriculture) and Jessika Roswall (Environment).
The organisations are thus exerting pressure on the European Commission, which is due to present its action plan on fertilisers (see EUROPE 13862/7) on Tuesday 19 May.
The signatories include the European Environmental Bureau, Greenpeace and IFOAM Organics Europe. The organisations denounce the fact that EU agriculture is too dependent on nitrogen fertilisers derived from fossil fuels, particularly natural gas, leaving it vulnerable to crises.
They criticise the European response for focusing too much on the availability and price of fertilisers, rather than tackling the root causes of the problem. They are opposed to a relaxation of the provisions of the Nitrates Directive and to an approach centred on chemical inputs.
The environmental and health costs of nitrogen fertilisers could be as high as €320 billion a year in the EU. The action plan must support the transition to low-input systems and develop biofertilisers, according to the organisations.
The letter: https://aeur.eu/f/lwa (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)