COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION of the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions
Date: 2021-05-21
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: European forestry policy, adaptation to climate change, climate change, common agricultural policy, environmental impact, farming sector, greenhouse gas, innovation, pollution control measures, reduction of gas emissions

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  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 21.5.2021  SWD(2021) 116 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION  of the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions {SWD(2021) 115 final}  
 
 
Context 

Farmers are vulnerable to climate change and they need to adapt. At the same time, agriculture 
has  an  impact  on  climate,  accounting  for  12%  of  total  EU  greenhouse  gas  (GHG)  emissions1, 
despite the progress in reducing emissions. EU GHG emissions from agriculture have fallen by 
more than 20% since 1990, yet they have stagnated since 2010, while agricultural production has 
continued to grow. Although this highlights gains in climate footprint per unit of output, there is 
a need to reduce total emissions further to achieve the EU’s ambitious climate targets for 2030. 

Achieving the EU’s climate targets 

Based on the climate tracking methodology, the CAP’s contribution to the EU’s climate targets 
is  estimated  at  26%  for  2014-2020,  above  the  20%  commitments,  even  if  few  CAP  measures 
were  primarily  designed  to  address  such  targets.  However,  the  reduction  of  emissions  from 
managed agricultural soils is better addressed in the CAP than livestock emissions. In addition, 
the relevance of some (primarily) voluntary CAP measures to the EU’s climate needs depends on 
whether  Member  States  and  farmers  implement  or  apply  them.  Nevertheless,  there  are  several 
measures that can have an impact on adaptation and mitigation. 

Simulating different scenarios 

The  evaluation  includes  a  simulation  estimating  a  reduction  in  agricultural  emissions  of  4.6% 
compared to a baseline without the CAP (in a scenario of medium emission reductions and based 
on  the  2016  uptake  of  rural  development  measures  (Pillar  II).  Pillar  I  contributes  most  to  this 
reduction  (3.5%),  via  greening  and,  more  specifically,  by  protecting  environmentally  sensitive 
permanent grasslands and ecological focus areas. On the one hand, this simulation overestimates 
the effect  these measures have on mitigation,  as many sensitive  grasslands would be protected 
anyhow under the Natura 2000 Directive. On the other hand, the simulation could not quantify 
the impact of all measures (such as greening permanent grassland ratio, whose effect on carbon 
storage depends heavily on whether such grasslands are ploughed).  

Effectiveness  

Pillar II measures whose impact was quantifiable (i.e. investments in physical assets, investments 
in  developing  forest  areas,  agro-environment-climate  measures,  organic  farming  and  Natura 
2000 payments) have helped reduce GHG emissions by 1.1%. Support  for areas facing natural 
constraints  helps  with  preventing  land  abandonment  and  loss  of  grassland,  but  the  positive 
impact  on climate mitigation (e.g. by protecting  carbon stocks in  soils) is not  guaranteed, as it 
depends on farmers’ practices on the land.  

Mitigation 

Mitigation  can  mainly  be  achieved  by  extensive  livestock  grazing  systems  and  protecting 
existing  carbon  stocks,  thanks  to  the  maintenance  of  permanent  grasslands.  The  main 
contribution  from  arable  systems  comes  through  support  for  nitrogen-fixing  crops,  improved 
land  management,  which  reduces  carbon  emissions  and  even  protects  soil  carbon  stocks,  and 

1   GHG emissions from agriculture include emissions from enteric fermentation (CH4); manure management (CH4 
and  N2O);  rice  cultivation  (CH4);  managed  agricultural  soils  (N2O);  cropland  (including  land  converted  to 
cropland) (CO2) and grassland (CO2). 

 
 
                                                           
reductions  in  N2O  emissions  from  soils  and  manures.  The  CAP  has  achieved  fewer  such 
reductions on intensive grassland or arable farms.  

Adaptation 

Several CAP measures have the potential to also contribute to climate adaptation; these include 
support for the diversity of crops and farming systems, investment support for adaptation to new 
climate  conditions,  limiting  soil  erosion  and  improving  resilience  to  floods.  Land  management 
measures addressing mitigation usually also contribute to climate adaptation. However, overall, 
Member  States  have  not  tailored  the  CAP  sufficiently  for  adaptation  purposes  (e.g.  cross-
compliance),  so  its  potential  is  not  fully  used.  Furthermore,  more  can  be  done  to  spread 
knowledge and advise farmers on techniques and practices to improve climate performance.  

Efficiency 

Better  targeting  of  CAP  support  would  lead  to  an  increase  in  efficiency.  The  evaluation  also 
highlighted  the  role  of  screening  for  ‘maladaptation’  that  could  avoid  public  expenditure  on 
infrastructure  or  sectors  that  may  increase  vulnerability  in  the  medium  to  long  term,  such  as 
irrigation  infrastructure  in  areas  with  depleted  water  resources,  or  by  promoting  excessive 
specialisation of whole geographical areas.  

Coherence 

The  way  CAP  measures  may  be  used  together  is  usually  coherent  in  terms  of  climate  action. 
However,  some  elements  of  the  CAP  policy  design  (e.g.  eligibility  criteria  for  permanent 
grassland,  exemption  of  beneficiaries  of  the  small  farmers  scheme  from  greening,  voluntary 
coupled  support)  are  not  fully  coherent  with  climate  objectives.  The  CAP’s  climate-focused 
measures are, though, coherent with other EU policies related to climate change.