IFA president Tim Cullinan has reacted badly to new EU climate proposals that were published on Wednesday 4 March. He has strongly criticised the “forked-tongue“ approach in regards to climate action and CAP policy.

He said: “Seeking to drive increased climate ambition while at the same time proposing to cut the CAP budget by 14% is a complete contradiction. The Commission needs to get real and realise that they cannot expect farmers to do more and more for less and less.”

He directed distaste towards the language used in the proposed climate law which seeks to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Terms such as “this transition must be just and inclusive, leaving no one behind“ ring hollow according to Culllinan.

Farmers are not getting credit for the carbon sequestrated in their pastures and hedgerows

He highlighted that there are now “significant issues“ regarding how climate neutrality will be determined.

“At present, the way methane is accounted for does not reflect the up-to-date science and farmers are not getting credit for the carbon sequestrated in their pastures and hedgerows.”

The Paris Agreement states that climate targets must be achieved “in a manner that does not threaten food production“ and Cullinan said that the European Commission must take account of this.

“The silence by the European Parliament on this issue in their proposed climate law is incredible, given that food security remains a real geo-political risk, with the world currently having just over three months’ stocks of cereals,” he said.

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