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Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)† |
Climate and Renewable Energy Package (CARE)‡
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Water Framework Directive (WFD)§ |
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Crop management
-Optimizing crop rotations.
-Increasing energy efficiency by adopting high-yielding varieties.
-Replacing bare fallow with fallow crops.
-Introducing winter cover crops planted in late summer or
autumn. |
Yes.
The CAP does not have specific provisions relating to crop rotations or
crops but farm support is subject to cross compliance; land must be kept in
“good agricultural and environmental condition” (GAEC). A key
requirement is the completion of a Soil Protection Review, although this is not
prescriptive in nature. From 2011, the obligation for farmers to leave 10% of
their land as set-aside will be abolished.
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Partially.
Crop management in CARE is only related to bioenergy. The Sustainability
Criteria for bioenergy production encourages appropriate crops be grown that
have high yields and minimal impact on the environment. However, it does not
address conflicts between land-use decisions or the overall availability of land
vis-a-vis food production.
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No.
The WFD does not directly address crop management, although the promotion
of low-water requiring crops is mentioned as a supplementary measure that member states
could consider.
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Nutrient management
-Reducing fertilizer inputs.
-Increasing fertilizer efficiency. |
Yes.
The EU Nitrates Directive is part of the cross-compliance criteria.
Nutrient management is also covered (indirectly) in GAEC.
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No.
The sustainability criteria does not mention nutrient management
specifically, and some studies (Dallamarta 2011) suggest that increased
fertiliser use in some bioenergy crops delivers a net energy increase for
biofuels. |
Yes.
Prescriptive provisions contained in WFD for “good ecological
status” and “good chemical status” directly address
nonpoint source pollution and nutrient management. However, implementation of
WFD is poor.
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Tillage and residue management
-“No tillage” and “reduced tillage” practices.
-Retention of crop residues.
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Partially.
No specific provisions, but would be a key factor in achieving
GAEC.
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No.
There is a potential clash between the CARE Package’s focus on
bioenergy, which uses crop residues, and the potential retention of crop
residues in the soil to increase the organic content of the soil.
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No.
WFD does not address tillage and residue management, even though both would
result in greater water-use efficiency.
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Water management
-Increase irrigation efficiency.
-Promote deficient irrigation schemes.
-Crop diversification.
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No.
The WFD is currently not part of the cross-compliance criteria, although it
is expected to be included shortly. Nevertheless, member states are slow to implement WFD.
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Partially.
The production of biomass for bioenergy is devastating in some water-scarce
regions (Dallamarta 2011), as the use of otherwise set-aside land, and
the choice of water-intensive crops, proves overwhelming for water supplies.
Sustainability criteria for bioenergy addresses these conflicts, but there
are no explicit options put forward, i.e., mandatory requirements for efficient
irrigation schemes.
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Yes.
A key element of the WFD is that water-resource management should be
undertaken at the river basin level, and that all member states must provide River Basin
Management Plans (RBMPs) to the EU. Implementation is poor. There is no
specific provision in the WFD relating to irrigation efficiency, or crop
diversification.
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Soil restoration of organic soils and degraded lands
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Yes, but weak.
Requirements for GAEC to be defined by the member states, covering:
protection of soil from erosion, maintenance of soil organic matter, maintenance
of soil structure, and maintenance and avoidance of deterioration of habitats.
The level of stringency and implementation varies markedly between member
states and the EU regulation has been described as “broad
brush.”
. |
No.
The main threat to soil restoration from the CARE package comes from the
10% target for “biofuels,” which could have direct and indirect
negative effects on soil condition and functionality. The sustainability
criteria for biofuels, which is not binding, includes a general prohibition on
the use of biomass from land converted from forest, other high carbon-stock
areas, and highly biodiverse areas. It is up to the member states to ascertain which land
this refers to.
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No.
The link between soil quality and functionality, and water, is positive:
higher soil quality means greater water retention and more efficient use of
water by plants. Given this link, the WFD could usefully add “good soil
status” as one of its key objectives. |
Bioenergy
-Appropriate crop choice.
-Appropriate choice of land.
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No.
The CAP does not address soil-management strategies in relation to
bioenergy production.
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Partially.
At least 10% of transport fuel must be renewable. Sustainability criteria,
which include: 1) prohibition on the use of biomass from land converted from forest,
other high carbon-stock areas, and highly biodiverse areas, 2) a common GHG-calculation methodology to ensure that minimum greenhouse
gas savings from biomass are at least 35%, 3) the differentiation of national support schemes in favor of
installations that achieve high energy-conversion efficiencies, and 4) monitoring of the origin of biomass. |
No.
The WFD does not explicitly mention bioenergy or crop choice because it is
largely designed to set parameters around water quality, and it is up to the
individual member states to decide which activities should be managed, through the River
Basin Management Plans. |