Using the CAP to upscale sustainable agriculture and forestry management practices

The new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be guided by the European Green Deal (EGD), an EU-wide commitment to make the Union climate-neutral, decouple growth from resource use and restore biodiversity and cut pollution. While the agriculture, forestry and land use sectors are significant emitters of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and responsible for rural ecosystem degradation and unsustainable levels of natural resource use, effective approaches to these sectors can be part of the solution. This factsheet looks at the opportunities that the design and implementation of relevant interventions, set out in the forthcoming CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs), present for upscaling sustainable management practices and contributing to the EGD goals. Ideas and examples emerging from the ENRD’s Thematic Group (TG) on the EGD and Rural Areas are presented as a source of inspiration for Managing Authorities and stakeholders.

Summary of Recommendations for CAP Strategic Plans Ensure that key environment and climate issues are identified and that related objectives and CAP interventions support the targeted uptake of more sustainable practices at appropriate levels.

• Use CAP interventions in a coordinated and integrated way
  • i.e. combinations and packages of Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 interventions
  • to achieve the identified environmental and climate priorities and contribute to the EGD goals.
• Consider different approaches to encourage the uptake of, for example, horizontal and zonal schemes, individual or collaborative commitments and/or a combination of both.
• Make full use of farm advisory and extension services to develop land managers’ knowledge on sustainable practices including capitalising on farmer ‘champions’ to accelerate the uptake and buy-in.