Photo by Amber Kipp on Unsplash
MEPs have voted to drop proposed restrictions on pollution from factory farms.
Campaigners says this “sabotages” the European Commission’s efforts to step up environmental and climate action.
They also claim the vote follows “pressure by the big agribusiness lobby.”
A statement by Compassion in World Farming EU said, “Parliamentarians decided to give all cattle farms and many industrial pig and chicken farms a free pass to pollute and to wreck the climate.”
It goes on to say, “Farm lobbies have lobbied EU decision-makers to exclude cattle farms and many big pig and poultry farms from having to comply with EU emission rules. In line with their demands, today the Parliament voted to keep cattle out of scope, and to keep the outdated definitions for industrial pig and poultry farms (any farm with more than 40,000 poultry, 2,000 pigs and 750 sows).”
Olga Kikou, Head of Compassion in World Farming EU, said: “The vote was another blow to the European Green Deal. The Parliament proved the least progressive of the three main EU institutions, bowing down to industry lobbies.”
“Even the European Commission and ministers had set more ambitious targets. Parliamentarians voted today to let cattle farms and big pig and poultry farms pollute the environment and wreck the climate.”
“MEPs chose to ignore the overwhelming scientific evidence on the need to cut methane emissions. Climate pollutants like methane are on top of the list for political action to avoid the worst of global heating. The Parliament’s proposal goes against the EU treaties because it would be step back for environmental protection.”
“The MEPs who voted for this have no shame in destroying the future of the generations to come. This sets a bad precedent for any future progressive proposals.”
The statement adds, “Last year, the European Commission proposed to change the EU’s directive to make sure the rules apply to more industrial farms, including cows, but at the same time they proposed laxer rules for approval of operations.”
“Now that Parliament wants to keep the outdated definition for industrial animal farms, and to let cattle farms loose, this would actually weaken existing rules. This is even less ambitious than the position of EU environmental ministers, who agreed to water down the Commission’s proposal but want cattle farms to be covered.”
