Brussels, 29 November 2024 – Amid the ongoing discussions regarding the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), FACE hosted the webinar “Enhancing Biodiversity and Small Game: Lessons Learned from the CAP post-2020” which was dedicated to discussing lessons learned from the CAP post-2020 to ensure that biodiversity and small game can once again thrive in European farmlands under the future CAP. A wide range of experts shared their diverse perspectives on the issue.

Mr. Gregorio Davila-Diaz, Deputy Head of the Sustainability Unit in DG AGRI, European Commission stated: “Result-based and collective support schemes are more efficient tools to deliver on biodiversity objectives. The CAP dedicates 32% of the budget to environment and climate”.

Presenting the recent European Court of Auditors’ report on Common Agricultural Policy Plans, Mr. Kristian Sniter stated “we analysed the national agricultural plans and found that, despite some improvements in the green architecture, the CAP plans are not well aligned with the Green Deal targets for biodiversity and climate.”

Dr. Sebastian Lakner, Professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Rostock, Germany, and Senior Lecturer in Ecology, underlined that under the CAP post 2020 more money is earmarked for environmental concerns, but it is likely too little considering the challenges of climate change adaptation and protection, the maintenance of biodiversity among other environmental issues.  Commenting on eco-schemes and agri-environmental schemes, he added that the different designs of these schemes make it difficult to programme and coordinate them consistently.

Regarding the role of farmers, Mr. Paulo Gouveia, Chief Policy Officer at COPA-COGECA, stated that “In the future, European policy for agriculture should instead focus on climate and nature protection that builds on production-integrated measures and respects the principle of subsidiarity and property rights. We must be clear that CAP Strategic Plans are a national issue, and we are at an early stage of implementation; and lessons are still to be learned. The three pillars of sustainability cannot support itself if we focus only on environmentalism but also include economic and social pillars; and we must ensure the CAP is balanced.”

Dr. Caroline Sullivan, Project Manager at ACRES Breifne, provided an overview of results-based schemes in Ireland and highlighted that “Results-based payments (RBPS) are the main component of >20,000 farmer AECM contracts and part of the contract for >10,000 more in Ireland. The RBPS approach provides high-level health qualitative assessments of farmland. It provides signals on where things could be improved and incentivises doing these improvements through higher payments for over 1,000,000ha. Ireland adopted a co-operation approach which puts in place skilled practitioners with a local focus to assist with delivery of improved results avoiding the pitfalls of ‘one size fits all’ approaches. The Irish experience and learnings can be adapted and applied anywhere. The co-operation teams in Ireland are looking forward to delivering as much action on the ground as possible over the next 3-4 years”.

Dr. David Scallan, FACE Secretary General, moderated the event, which featured an engaging Q&A session.