News in brief:
-Â The EU Parliament has rejected a proposal to cut pesticide use by half under the Green Deal climate law.
– This setback is considered detrimental to the EU’s environmental goals, as the proposed law aimed to reduce harmful chemicals in agriculture and protect biodiversity, drawing criticism from environmentalists.
The European Parliament has voted down a proposal to cut pesticide use within the bloc by half, a news report said.
The proposed law, which was part of the EU’s Green Deal climate law, was rejected by a large majority, with 299 MEPs voting against it, 207 in favor, and 121 abstentions.
This rejection is seen as a major setback for the EU’s environmental goals because it woulkd have move the member states towards reducing use of harmful chemicals in agriculture and protecting biodiversity.
Environmentalists and other supporters of the restrictions were appalled by the vote. Sarah Wiener, an Austrian lawmaker who led negotiations on the law, called it a “black” day for the environment and farmers, adding that there was no willingness to compromise from the far right.
Ein schwarzer Tag für Umwelt, Gesundheit und Landwirtschaft.
Der Vorschlag für die EU-Pestizidverordnung wurde im Plenum von Rechtsextremen und Konservativen so stark verwässert, dass sie am Ende abgelehnt wurde.
Die #SUR ist damit erstmal tot.https://t.co/2l6evN3Leg
â Sarah Wiener (@wienerofficial) November 22, 2023
Meanwhile, victorious opponents of the proposed rules said such controls should not be allowed to harm agriculture. For example, Alexander Bernhuber, a center-right Austrian MEP, said “we all want fewer plant protection products used on farmland. But reducing them must not jeopardize food production in Europe, make food more expensive, or lead to farmers quitting their businesses.”
The proposed law had set a target of cutting the use of pesticides by 50 per cent by 2030. It also aimed to promote the use of environmentally friendly pest-control techniques among farmers.
More than 1 million EU citizens this year petitioned for a complete phaseout of pesticides within the EU. However, farming organisations such as the EU industry body Copa Cogeca said cutting pesticide use by more than half would have a negative impact on yields and put food production across the bloc at risk.
