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Land as an Environmental Resource
How can we meet the different and often conflicting demands we make on our limited supply of rural land in Europe? A more strategic approach to the way in which land is used is needed than has been the case in the past. This report for DG Environment looks at the data, the challenges and the policy options for Europe.
agriculture
bioenergy
biofuels
CAP
climate change
ecosystem services
forestry
natural resources
policy instruments
renewable energy
resource use01 May 2013 -
A greener CAP: still within reach?
The greening of the CAP hangs in the balance in the final negotiations; a synthesis of key issues and requirements.
agri-environment
agriculture
CAP
cross-compliance
EU budget
EU funding
EU institutions
governance
grassland
land use
public goods29 Apr 2013 -
Greening the CAP - how ‘equivalent’ are alternative approaches?
A contentious issue in the negotiations on the future of the CAP is how to implement the proposed new green direct payments to farmers. However, proposals to increase flexibility for Member States will not necessarily be administratively any simpler and may risk weakening environmental outcomes.
agri-environment
agriculture
CAP16 Apr 2013 -
Biodiversity proofing of the EU budget
This study shows how more can be done to firstly avoid and minimize detrimental impacts of EU funding on biodiversity, and secondly to increase biodiversity benefits.
agri-environment
agriculture
biodiversity
cohesion policy
Common Fisheries Policy
energy
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Policy Integration
EU funding
financial instruments
fisheries
Habitats Directive
impact assessment
marine
policy instruments
regional policy
Strategic Environmental Assessment
structural funds
sustainability criteria
territorial cohesion
transport18 Feb 2013 -
Land use mapping for sustainable biofuels
IEEP and WWF join forces to define criteria and principles to guide the mapping of appropriate land use to ensure sustainable biofuel crops.
agriculture
biodiversity
bioenergy
biofuels
deforestation
land use15 Feb 2013 -
Principles of Double Funding
This briefing explores the issue of double funding in relation to the CAP reform debate and considers the implications for delivering added value for the environment.
agri-environment
agriculture
briefings
CAP30 Jan 2013 -
EP vote must not undermine a greener CAP
A decade’s progress in improving the Common Agricultural Policy’s environmental credentials risks being lost if the EP vote to water down the Commission’s ambitious proposals to green the CAP.
agriculture
CAP
public goods22 Jan 2013 -
Land Stewardship in England post 2013: CAP greening and agri-environment
What will the introduction of environmental measures in Pillar 1 mean for agri-environment schemes in the future? A topic of much debate as part of the CAP reform negotiations, this new report explores the potential impacts of greening Pillar 1 on England’s entry-level agri-environment scheme and how a future scheme could be designed to deliver more for the environment and ensure the long term sustainability of farming.
agri-environment
agriculture
CAP18 Jan 2013 -
Reforming environmentally harmful subsidies for a resource efficient Europe
The EU has a long-standing commitment to removing or phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS). However, progress has been slow and EHS remain an issue in most EU countries. The Eurozone crisis and stagnating economic performance in many countries provide an opportunity to put new momentum behind this agenda.
agriculture
biodiversity
biofuels
climate change
Common Fisheries Policy
environmental fiscal reform
environmentally harmful subsidies
EU 2020 strategy
fisheries
food
forestry
governance
green economy
protected area
waste
water05 Dec 2012 -
The EU Water Blueprint: Assessing the policy options
The Water Blueprint proposes action to address 12 key problems for Europe’s waters. An IEEP led study found that improved guidance, information system, data exchange and funding were the best instruments to address many of these problems, with limited scope for new law.
adaptation
agri-environment
agriculture
benefits of legislation
better regulation
CAP
climate change
cohesion policy
ecosystem services
enforcement
Environmental Impact Assessment
flooding
governance
impact assessment
natural resources
resource use
water
Water Framework Directive
water quality
water scarcity15 Nov 2012 -
Designing RDPs fit for the environment
Substantial changes to rural development regulation have been proposed which provide significant opportunities for Member States to deliver more for the environment. This report highlights some of these opportunities and sets out a series of principles and environmental priorities to help guide Member States in designing their future rural development programmes.
agri-environment
agriculture
biodiversity
CAP
climate change
public goods
water quality26 Sep 2012 -
Systemic approach to adaptation to climate change and renewable energy harnessing (Biomass and Mini-hydro)
Biochar has the potential to both mitigate greenhouse gases, and to act as an adaptation measure in terms of responding to the impacts of climate change. Based on its compatibility with the appropriate soil properties, it could increase the resilience of soil to erosion.
adaptation
agriculture
bioenergy
CAP
carbon
clean development mechanism
clean technologies
climate change
emissions trading
energy
flooding
greenhouse gases
market based instruments
transport
waste15 Aug 2012 -
Biofuels and Agricultural Commodity Prices: A Review of the Evidence Base
EU biofuel use will increase the global prices of agricultural commodities, most notably oilseeds and vegetable oils. This requires close attention by policy makers.
agriculture
bioenergy
biofuels
economics
food
renewable energy13 Jun 2012 -
Maximising environmental benefits through Ecological Focus Areas
Of the three measures proposed to 'green' Pillar 1 direct payments, Ecological Focus Areas have the greatest potential to address a range of environmental concerns. How much of this potential is realised depends on a number of key factors discussed in this new IEEP report prepared at the request of the Land Use Policy Group.
agri-environment
agriculture
biodiversity
CAP
cross-compliance08 Jun 2012 -
European Parliament report on sustainable competitiveness and innovation
The CAP could, and should, be primarily to assist EU agriculture to become more internationally competitive and sustainable and to achieve this by innovation. It already has many instruments to do this, and the reforms could further assist. However the resources deployed could be far better used.
agri-environment
agriculture
CAP
EU Sustainable Development Strategy
green economy
natural resources
resource use
sustainability criteria
sustainable consumption and production05 Jun 2012 -
Addressing the EU’s biodiversity goals through the CAP
What is the relationship between the management of agricultural land and biodiversity? To what extent are the EU’s biodiversity goals addressed through the CAP?
agri-environment
agriculture
biodiversity
CAP09 May 2012 -
Delivering environmental benefits through entry-level agri-environment schemes in the EU
A new study of the 2007-13 agri-environment schemes across the whole of EU-27 provides the first typology of ‘entry-level’ agri-environment management and environmental objectives, plus a detailed insight into the design of entry-level agri-environment schemes and calculation of payment rates in seven Member States.
agri-environment
agriculture
Biodiversity Action Plan
CAP
climate change
cross-compliance
Environmental Policy Integration
EU funding
financial instruments
grassland
high nature value
land use
livestock
payment for ecosystem services
public goods
soil
subsidiarity21 Mar 2012 -
Delivering Environmental Benefits through Ecological Focus Areas
IEEP workshop on 6 March brought together a range of stakeholders to discuss possible environmental benefits through Ecological Focus Areas.
agriculture
biodiversity
CAP09 Mar 2012 -
The CAP Proposals: Green in more than name?
The proposals from the Commission on the future CAP, announced on 12 October, could have represented a major step towards improved environmental management across the EU, but in practice they leave major doubts over how much really will be delivered.
agriculture
CAP13 Oct 2011 -
Mainstreaming the environment and climate change in the post-2013 EU budget
New IEEP paper examines the opportunities and challenges of the proposed ‘mainstreaming’ of climate change and other environmental priorities in the 2014-2020 EU budget.
agriculture
biodiversity
climate change
EU budget
EU funding
European Fisheries Fund
financial instruments
fisheries
natural resources12 Aug 2011