Activities of Manuel BOMPARD related to 2020/2074(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on cohesion policy and regional environment strategies in the fight against climate change
Amendments (24)
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Emphasises that cohesion policy must support strong climate mainstreaming in agriculture and food-related sectors, while ensuring climate justice, poverty reduction and enhanced rights for workers in this sector;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines that, in order to reach the target of a 32% reduction in GHG emissions in 2030, allocations from ESI funds supporting the transition towards climate neutrality in all eligible sectors would have to at least double, and 40% of ERDF resources would need to be allocated to the ‘green, low-carbon objective’1; stresses that it is also essential to seek to eliminate the subsidies identified as harmful in order to guarantee respect for the ‘do no harm’ principle; __________________ 1 https://www.caneurope.org/docman/climat e-finance-development/3599-funding- climate-and-energy-transition-in-the-eu/file
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the importance of linking regional environmental strategies to ambitious climate targets that go beyond the overall target of achieving a climate- neutral EU by 2050, taking into account the potential contribution of the farming, food and forestry sectors; underlines that regional environmental strategies must systematically combat in a coordinated manner the biodiversity crisis and climate change, and achieve synergies in the responses to both crises;
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses that the climate change adaptation policies are not sufficient; points out that megafires, and their proliferation in the near future, demonstrate clearly the limits of adaptation given the extent of the destruction they cause, to which it is impossible to adapt; notes that megafires also contribute to climate disruption by increasing wind speeds, triggering storms and producing ash that can settle on glaciers and accelerate ice melt; underlines that it is absolutely essential to ensure that the EU’s regional policies promote climate change mitigation and adaptation, and prevention of its effects on our agriculture and forest systems;
Amendment 97 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Points out that, in addition to carbon sequestration, forests have a beneficial impact on the climate, the atmosphere, the preservation of biodiversity, and river and waterway management, they protect soil from erosion by water and wind, and they possess other useful natural properties; considers that the cohesion policy funds should preserve the multifunctional role of forests, ensure strong diversity of forest species, and conserve and expand forest resources for the well-being of the population and improvement of the environment;
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Denounces the disastrous effects of industrial forest management on the climate and the environment; points out that intensive forest exploitation for energy production is harmful for biodiversity and results in a loss of carbon sinks; notes that, according to recent studies, European forests could store twice as much carbon if their exploitation were halved; emphasises that intensive single-crop farming is extremely sensitive to the effects of climate change, especially the proliferation of pests and megafires; notes that, according to the European Environment Agency, the value of European forests is projected to fall by between 14% and 50% over this century because of the abrupt transformation of European forest balances caused by climate change;
Amendment 100 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5d. Considers that cohesion policy funds should no longer be used for projects involving the intensive exploitation of European forests, especially plantations designed solely for energy production or the construction of enormous biomass plants or industrial sawmills; condemns, in particular, the mega-sawmill project in Lannemezan of multinational group Florian, which could put the Pyrenean forest in grave danger;
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 e (new)
Paragraph 5 e (new)
5e. Recognises that methanisation through the decomposition of organic matter could be an interesting technique for farmers; is concerned, nevertheless, about the current shift towards the construction of industrial biogas plants, which result in large-scale soil and water pollution, increased mortality of pollinators and agricultural land grabs, promote intensive farming, and are more likely to cause accidents and damage to public health; considers that cohesion policy funds should be used only for methanisation projects that incorporate a social and environmental dimension and that promote reappropriation by farmers of energy management, from production to use;
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 f (new)
Paragraph 5 f (new)
5f. Stresses that numerous indicators show that we are reaching the limits of sustainability of the industrial food and agriculture system: decrease in the number of farmers, contribution to global warming, soil erosion, destruction of ecosystems, high consumption of fresh water, risks to human health, food waste, fossil energy use, etc.; expresses its concern that this system is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change in all its dimensions, be it climate instability or the depletion of water resources;
Amendment 103 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 g (new)
Paragraph 5 g (new)
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 h (new)
Paragraph 5 h (new)
5h. Notes with concern that the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the vulnerability of cities if supplies, especially food supplies, are disrupted;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 i (new)
Paragraph 5 i (new)
5i. Underlines that it is absolutely essential for the Union to adopt a policy of resilience in relation to the effects of climate change, particularly in the agricultural and food sectors; believes that the cohesion policy can play a leading role in this regard;
Amendment 106 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 j (new)
Paragraph 5 j (new)
5j. Considers that the cohesion policy should support the establishment of shorter supply chains for our food systems, notably through the relocation of our agricultural production; stresses that the aim of this relocation is to produce, process and consume food locally in order to strengthen the food security of European regions, create local jobs and drastically reduce our use of fossil energies and, thus, our impact on the climate;
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 k (new)
Paragraph 5 k (new)
5k. Believes that the cohesion policy should support regional projects aimed at building future agricultural systems that focus on mixed farming, combining several plant species (crop associations), arable crops and trees (agroforestry), and even mixtures of crops, trees and animals (conservation agriculture and permaculture); emphasises that such agro-ecosystems would have increased biodiversity and heterogeneity, thereby reducing their vulnerability to diseases and climate disruptions;
Amendment 108 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 l (new)
Paragraph 5 l (new)
5l. Stresses that the cohesion policy should, in particular, strengthen the modularity of regional agricultural systems in order to prevent any knock-on effects from shocks affecting neighbouring systems;
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 m (new)
Paragraph 5 m (new)
5m. Calls for the cohesion policy to support projects aimed at improving waste circularity in the agricultural sector; stresses, in this regard, the importance of keeping phosphorus on fields by recycling it, with a view to preventing pollution and having to add more; notes that the collection of human excreta could amount to 3 million tonnes of phosphates per year, i.e. 20% of industrial fertiliser consumption; calls for the cohesion policy to support projects such as those used by Swedish towns to collect human urine to use it in fields, or in Germany to recycle up to 60% of the phosphorus in wastewater and return it to fields, forests and pastures;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 n (new)
Paragraph 5 n (new)
5n. Underlines the crucial importance of improving the food resilience of cities against the effects of climate change; believes that the cohesion policy can play a leading role in this regard; calls for the cohesion policy to strengthen domestic systems, local systems and territorial food systems in and around cities; stresses, in particular, the need to reverse the food deserts caused by the disappearance of small local grocery stores;
Amendment 111 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 o (new)
Paragraph 5 o (new)
5o. Calls urgently for the cohesion policy to strengthen urban and peri-urban agricultural systems by developing urban gardens, roof gardens, and urban permaculture and aquaponics systems; stresses, however, that although it significantly increases food security among urban populations, urban farming will continue to be a complement to food supply in large cities; underlines, therefore, the need to protect and encourage peri-urban agriculture;
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 p (new)
Paragraph 5 p (new)
5p. Points out that urban farming is very labour-intensive and could, therefore, create numerous jobs; points out, too, that urban farming makes it possible to enhance urban biodiversity, better manage waste through neighbourhood composting, capture rainwater and improve air quality;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 q (new)
Paragraph 5 q (new)
5q. Believes that the development of public water enterprises and municipal farming enterprises is extremely positive; underlines the role played by these municipal farming enterprises in supplying catering outlets with local, seasonal produce; calls on local authorities to propose, where possible, that catering outlets use organic, local, sustainable produce, with as little meat as possible; urges local and regional authorities to help structure organic and local farming sectors, and to promote the creation of associations and cooperatives of producers and consumers; calls on local and regional authorities to introduce social, environmental, animal welfare and fair pay criteria into their public procurement; calls on local and regional authorities to support the establishment of new farmers by purchasing land and making land available; believes that the cohesion policy should support local and regional authorities in these steps;
Amendment 114 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 r (new)
Paragraph 5 r (new)
5r. Considers that the development of urban forests is of significant interest in terms of mitigating the effects of global warming in cities, especially during heatwaves; emphasises that, according to the UN, shaded areas created by urban vegetation could reduce air conditioning needs by 30%; points out that the development of revegetation in cities can help to create biodiversity refuges, reduce sound and air pollution, restore degraded soils, prevent droughts and establish significant carbon sinks; underlines, however, that it is essential to ensure broad biodiversity of the tree species planted in cities and to promote native species; underlines, too, the limits on the use of avenue trees; stresses the need to ensure the diversity of tree species, chosen according to the roles that they must play on a complementary basis, alongside shrubs, grasses and areas of loose soil; calls, too, for priority to be given to the planting of fruit trees in cities; believes that the cohesion policy funds should support projects that meet these conditions;
Amendment 115 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 s (new)
Paragraph 5 s (new)
5s. Underlines the benefits of developing conservation grazing in urban areas; calls for the cohesion policy funds to support existing projects in this regard;
Amendment 116 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 t (new)
Paragraph 5 t (new)
5t. Points out that food involves all of the inhabitants in a single territory; believes that it is necessary to strengthen the democratic involvement of citizens, elected representatives, producers, consumers and distributors in order to promote the production, processing and consumption of local, seasonal and diverse produce; considers that the cohesion policy should support local and regional authorities that wish to put in place such mechanisms in the area of food policy;
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 u (new)
Paragraph 5 u (new)
5u. Believes that the cohesion policy funds should provide greater support for training projects involving local permaculture and small-scale agro- ecological farming;