Mainstreaming adaptation in the Common Agricultural Policy Erik Jennewein VicePresident of CEJA Brid

1
Mainstreaming adaptation in the Common
Agricultural Policy Erik Jennewein
Vice-President of CEJABridging the GAP
ConferencePortoroz / Slovenia15 May 2008
CONSEIL EUROPEEN DES JEUNES AGRICULTEURS
European Council of Young Farmers Europäischer
Rat der Junglandwirte
2
What is CEJA?

• CEJA was founded in Rome, Italy, in 1958 by the
  representatives of the six initial members of EEC
• In 2008, CEJA has 26 member organisations from 21
  different countries
• Represents around 1 million young farmers!

3
Agriculture and Climate change

• The impact of Climate Change on agriculture
• Adaptation of agriculture to Climate Change
• Agricultures role in combating climate change
  and support that is needed to continue the battle

4
Impacts on European Agriculture
Farmers will feel the full force of climate
change decrease in average annual
rainfall more sudden heat waves more sudden
storms Everybody will be influenced
by increasing pests burning forests storms
causing severe damages
5
Impacts on European Agriculture (2)

• The projected climate change will affect crop
  yields, livestock management and land abandonment
  in certain parts of Europe
• Due to crop failures caused by heat waves,
  droughts, pests, flooding food production risks
  could become an issue in certain parts of Europe
• global food supply will be increasingly at risk

6
Impacts on European Agriculture (3)

• practical experience of a local advisory group
• Mild winters with higher temperatures
• Shorter periods of frost
• Hotter sommers with higher (extreme) temperatures
• more steady weather conditions
• - longer rainfall periods (- six weeks)
• - longer dry periods

7
The role of Agriculture
food producers producers of raw
materials energy producers provide services
to society
8
The role of Agriculture in combating climate
change

• Capturing carbon through production activity,
  cultivated lands capture and store a part of the
  atmospheric carbon.
• Improving internal reduction of its emissions
  (optimization of fertilization, excretion
  treatment, personal use of biofuel ),
• Reducing the negative transport impact by
  promoting to buy local,
• Providing bioenergy and thus avoiding fossil
  energy use.

9
What can be done?

• No waste of land for construction and useless
  environmental actions
• More Research (heat and drought resistant plants,
  innovative methods, etc.)
• higher flexibility in authorisation of pesticides
• No inflexible regulations (e.x.prohibition of
  plowing, no fertilizers between November and
  February)

10
Supporting agriculture
Climate change adaptation can become an
integrated part of the  CAP

• Give farmers positive incentives
• Under the rural development policy young farmers
  are rewarded for environmental goods and services
  they provide
• A closer look at possible tools for managing
  risks and crises is needed

11
Conclusions

• 1. A multifunctional approach to agriculture
• 2. Intensified contact with research institutions
  for a fruitful approach to new technologies and
  innovation
• 3. Clear strategy (coherent approach food
  security, climate change, environment and
  competitivness)

12
Thank you for your attention!