CAP payments to new fields cleared of peatlands should be banned

CAP payments to new fields cleared of peatlands should be banned

Dear Commissioner

Suomen luonnonsuojeluliitto (The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation) has been very happy with efforts of the Commission to improve environmental rules of the CAP.

However, we are worried about the possibility of clearing especially peatlands and other carbon rich soils into new fields or meadows. This leads to loss of biodiversity, increase in greenhouse gas emissions and nutrients leaching to waters.

Finland has tried to exclude this kind of new fields from CAP payments. This position has been supported by the Council, too.

As far as we know, the Commission has been against this exclusion, mainly because of the equality of farmers.

However, we hope that the Commission can accept a possibility for Member States to ban CAP payments from new fields, especially from peatlands or forests, because of significant negative environmental impacts.

Futher information

Yours sincerely

SUOMEN LUONNONSUOJELULIITTO RY

Harri Hölttä         Tapani Veistola
Chairman              Acting Executive Director