The European Commission recently consulted on their final assessment of the 6th Environmental Action Programme (EAP). The 6th EAP set out the framework for environmental policy-making in the European Union for the period 2002-2012 and outlines actions that need to be taken to achieve them.
The 6th EAP identifies four priority areas:
- Climate change
- Nature and biodiversity
- Environment and health
- Natural resources and waste
The 6th EAP resulted in the development of seven Thematic Strategies in the fields of: soil; the marine environment; air; pesticides; urban environment; natural resources; and waste recycling. The Thematic Strategies constitute the framework for action at EU level in each of the concerned priorities and resulted in proposals for new legislation such as the Soil Framework Directive. In our response to the consultation, we made the following points:
- The challenge for any future programme will be the need to find a workable balance between the demands of food security, water availability, climate change mitigation, wildlife protection, flood risk management, water quality and farm business viability.
- Integration of priorities should be a key aim in order to identify better ways of achieving environmental outcomes – for the benefit of the land managers and for the environment. Integration of priorities across a broad range of environmental issues, including climate change, should be a priority with the aim of achieving optimal outcomes and a more coherent “ask” of land managers.
- In line with better regulation, it is critical that policies must be focused on outcomes rather than on creation of a process.
- Robust information and sound scientific evidence is required to underpin proposals for extra legislation, or revisions to existing measures.
- We must recognise the positive outcomes that have been achieved, both through legislation and voluntary measures. Future achievement of environmental outcomes can be achieved without alienating the enthusiasm of those who have contributed to the considerable recovery of the environment in recent decades through agri-environment schemes and other voluntary activity.
Read our full response to the Consultation questions by clicking under "Related Docs".
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