An Taisce is one of the 100 European NGOs who have called on the European Commission to carry out a review of the Common Agricultural Policy. €53 billion are pumped into European farming every year making up 37% of the EU's total budget. It is only fair that taxpayers are allowed to review and see if they are getting a fair return on their investment.

Despite claims that European and Irish agriculture is greener than ever, we continue to see staggering collapses in biodiversity. One third of Ireland's wild bees are threatened with extinction while a once common bird the Corn Bunting has gone nationally extinct and Irish Curlew, Lapwing and Redshank have declined by over 80% since the early 90’s.

Agriculture is the greatest source of greenhouse gases in Ireland and limited mitigation potential within the sector means that agriculture is likely to be the main reason we fail to meet our emissions reduction targets.

In Ireland we have lost half our cleanest rivers and lakes in the last 22 years. Agriculture is also one of the main sources of water pollution and the ongoing intensification of agriculture is one of the biggest challenges we face to improve water quality.

“Given that the Common Agricultural Policy makes up a large chunk of the EU’s total budget and is funded by the taxpayer a review is in everyone’s interests. Despite claims of the CAP being greener than ever before it is clear that the ongoing intensification of agriculture across the EU is driving biodiversity loss and environmental degradation on a scale that far exceeds any benefits accruing from agri-environment schemes. Only through an open and transparent review of the EU’s agricultural policies can we fairly assess whether the Irish and European taxpayer is getting a fair return for their investment.” – Fintan Kelly, Natural Environment Officer, An Taisce

Charles Stanley-Smith, Communications, An Taisce Tel: +353 87 241 1995
email: [email protected]
An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland
www.antaisce.org