Stark warning over impact of climate change on EU farm sector

EUROPEAN agriculture will feel the full force of climate change, Farm Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel has warned.

Writing in her internet blog, she said the evidence of climate change is compelling. It is happening and it will hit the EU.

Most people understand that global warming will damage the environment. Fewer people understand that it could also land a hammer blow on food production.

This is at a time when the global population is expected to grow from around 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050.

Ms Fischer Boel said some EU regions could benefit from climate change for a time.

Yields in some northern zones could increase.

“On the other hand, the droughts that we foresee would hurt southern European countries which are already running short of water for irrigation.

“In the EU as a whole we can expect more sudden heat waves, more sudden storms, more sudden floods. The sheer unpredictability of the weather will make the farmer’s life very difficult.”

The commissioner said the EU has agreed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by the year 2020, and by 30% if a new international climate change agreement is achieved by year end.

Extra money will come on-stream in 2010 under rural development policy to help farmers combat and live with climate change, make good use of renewable energy, and manage water more efficiently.

She made her comments after the European Commission published a white paper this week on climate change. However, Copa and Cogeca, the umbrella bodies for European farmers and co-ops, claimed the document does not address food security.

Pekka Pesonen, secretary general, said the paper correctly pinpoints some of the threats to EU food production from climate change. These include more crop failures, greater threats of plant and animal disease and lower water availability.

“We need a strategic approach to maintaining sustainable EU food production at reasonable prices in the framework of the CAP.”