Water and agriculture in the EU. How blue is the CAP?

Event details

The 12th edition of Green Week, the biggest annual conference on European environment policy, will take place from 22 to 25 May 2012 in Brussels. This year’s theme is “Water”.

On May 22nd the event will discuss the CAP.

Background information:

Agriculture and water are inextricably linked, and climate change is adding a further complication to relations between the two. This session will pay special attention to adaptation perspectives and deadlines, the effect of population growth on water quality and quantity especially in the southern areas of the EU, and to the perspectives and limits of water saving and water ecosystems protection.

Participants will discuss the influence of water availability on land prices, the risk of agriculture disappearing from certain regions, farming under moderate or severe water stress, water-related risk assessments for agriculture and urbanisation, and the financial implications of water-related funding needs under the CAP.

The importance of appropriate land management in agricultural areas will also feature. Potential impacts of the greening of the first pillar of the CAP and second pillar measures (like agri-environment) on water management connected to biodiversity, erosion control and climate change mitigation will also be discussed.

Speakers:

• Karl Falkenberg, Director-General for Environment, European Commission
• Jerzy Bogdan Plewa, Deputy Director General for Agriculture and Rural Development
• Pekka Pesonen, Secretary General COPA-COGECA
• François Veillerette, Board Member PAN Europe, President MDRGF

Address

Charlemagne Building
Rue de la Loi 170
Brussels
Belgium