Evaluation study of the impact of the common agricultural policy on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions



View results in:
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/29eee93e-9ed0-11e9-9d01-01aa75ed71a1
DOI: 
10.2762/54044
ISBN: 
978-92-79-85797-3
Licensing of resource: 
Rights subject to owner's permission
Type: 
report
Author(s): 
Pražan J.
Nanni S.
Redman M.
Vedrenne M.
Martin I.
Panarin M.
Allen B.
Gerritsen E.
Milliard P.
Menadue H.
Brenner V.
Bresson C.
Lórànt A.
Daydé C.
Bowyer C.
Coulon A.
Mottershead D.
Karoglan Todorovic S.
Keenleyside C.
Maréchal A.
Frelih-Larsen A.
Toma I.
Ittner S.
Wiltshire J,
Znaor D.
Martineau H.
Zemeckis R.
Publisher(s): 
Description: 

This evaluation seeks to understand the impact which certain measures of the CAP have had on reducing GHG emissions, agriculture’s vulnerability to climate change and its ability to provide adaptation and mitigation services to society. Most of the CAP measures analysed do not have climate action as their intended purpose but may have it as a secondary purpose. Some, such as those which sustain certain forms of agricultural production responsible for emissions, exist for economic, social and sometimes other environmental reasons. We examine the overall relevance, effectiveness and coherence with each other of all measures and instruments covered by the study in respect of climate action. For those measures which are (or can reasonably be) targeted at climate objectives we look at how efficiently they work to this end and whether they do so in a way which is coherent with the CAP’s other economic, environmental and social objectives and delivers EU added-value. We look at the impact on production of these measures as well as the part played by the CAP in driving emissions associated with food, feed and biofuels systems in the bio economy. Finally we consider the factors which have enhanced or hindered agriculture’s ability to reduce emissions and to adapt to climate change and make recommendations. The study is based on the CAP measures and their implementation as they stood following the 2013 CAP reform but takes into account relevant evidence from the period since 2003. We took as our counterfactual an EU without the CAP. As far as possible therefore we seek to understand how net emissions within the EU, and the state of adaptation to climate change, would have differed had the CAP not been in place. We consider the role of emissions leakage – when additional or reduced production within the EU leads to changes outside the Union thereby changing the location of emissions and sometimes their extent. However detailed modelling of such leakage is beyond the scope of this study.

Publication year: 
2018
Keywords: 
Adaptation to climate change
agroforestry
climate change
Climate change policy
Common agricultural policy
Reduction of gas emissions
sustainable development
rural development