News in brief:
– Denmark’s climate minister calls for EU farmers to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture.
– The proposal faces challenges in implementation and could drive up food prices, but it has sparked a debate about the future of agriculture in the EU.
Denmark’s climate minister, Lars Aagaard, has called for EU farmers to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions. This move that could significantly impact the bloc’s agricultural sector, analysts and industry experts believe.
Aagaard adds that farmers who emit the least carbon per tonne of food produced should be rewarded with greater market access. His proposal comes at a time when the EU grapples with growing environmental impact of agriculture.
The sector is currently projected to become the bloc’s biggest polluter by 2040 and Aagaard believes that adding agriculture to the EU’s cap-and-trade emissions trading system (ETS) could provide a much-needed incentive for farmers to reduce their emissions. Started in 2005, the ETS has successfully reduced emissions in the power sector by 37%, according to the European Commission.
However, the minister’s proposal faces significant challenges. For one, the fragmented nature of the agricultural sector and the large number of small producers would make it difficult to monitor and enforce emissions reductions. Additionally, there is concern that charging farmers for their emissions could place an unfair burden on the sector, potentially driving up food prices.
Despite these challenges, Aagaard’s proposal has sparked a debate about the future of agriculture in the EU. As the bloc strives to meet its ambitious climate goals, the role of agriculture will be under increasing scrutiny. The minister’s call for farmers to pay for their emissions could be a significant step towards a more sustainable agricultural sector.
