Environment and Climate Action - Infopage

Summary of EU expenditures devoted to environment and main land use indicators.

Background information

Land used for agriculture and forestry has a significant influence on the environment and climate, whilst environmental and climatic factors influence the sustainability and productivity of these sectors.

The information shown in this dashboard complements the more specific data available in the dashboards devoted to biodiversity, soil quality, water, organic farming and climate change and air quality. It provides an overview of land use in the EU, giving a breakdown of different types of land cover and agricultural activity. Intensive farming techniques generally exert greater pressure on the environment, using more resources and with higher risks of pollution.

The amount of EU funding spent on some rural development measures linked to environmental and climate objectives is shown, as are the total amounts used for the environment and climate priorities of the Rural Development Programmes. The area covered by the different components of the CAP's green architecture is illustrated, together with the average levels of the greening payment and agri-environment support.

To know more about the environmental and climatic challenges facing agriculture and rural areas, click here.

In case data are missing for some Member States, EU totals are calculated with the available information.

Figure: Share of EU expenditure for rural development spent on environment and climate (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Output Pillar II
OIR_28 Share of EAFRD contribution reserved for environment and climate
%
OIR_28
%
DG AGRI

Notes:

  • Member States are required to spend a minimum of 30% of the total contribution from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) to each Rural Development Programme on climate change mitigation and adaptation and environmental issues (with the exception of RDPs covering the outermost regions and overseas territories).
  • It includes the following articles of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 and indicators:
    • Article 17 (Measure 4: investments in physical assets, for Union priorities 4 - preservation of ecosystems - and 5 - resource efficiency) ): OIR_01b_4.6 + OIR_01b_4.7 + OIR_01b_4.8 + OIR_01b_4.9 + OIR_01b_4.10 + OIR_01b_4.11,
    • Article 21 (Measure 8: support for afforestation/creation of woodland; establishment and maintenance of agro-forestry systems, prevention and restoration of damage to forests from forest fires and natural disasters and catastrophic events; improving the resilience and environmental value of forest eco-systems; investments in forestry technologies): OIR_01b_2.8,
    • Article 28 (Measure 10: support for agri-environment-climate commitments; conservation of genetic resources): OIR_01b_2.10,
    • Article 29 (Measure 11: support for organic farming): OIR_01b_2.11,
    • Article 30 (Sub-measures 12.1 and 12.2: support for Natura 2000 in agricultural and forest areas): OIR_01b_2.12,
    • Articles 31 and 32 (Measure 13: support to areas facing natural constraints): OIR_01b_2.13,
    • Article 34 (Measure 15: support for forest-environmental and climate commitments; conservation of forest genetic resources): OIR_01b_2.15.
  • The level of details in Member States notifications in the quarterly Declarations of expenditure for European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (DOE) does not allow distinguishing the payments for Natura 2000 from the Water Framework Directive related payments, therefore the share is slightly overestimated (a very few number of Member States have decided to implement the WFD payments). The outmost regions and overseas territories are not submitted to this legal requirement, but they were nevertheless included in this calculation.
  • The national co-financing is not included in this calculation.
  • The recorded percentage of expenditure paid dedicated to environment/climate is expected to decrease from the start of the programming period to the end, because whilst this type of expenditure tends to have a relatively constant annual profile, other rural development expenditure (e.g. productive investments and Leader) builds up towards the end of the period. In addition, the obligation refers to the whole programming period, although the percentage is calculated here on an annual basis.

Graph: Share of EU expenditure for rural development spent on environment and climate

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Output Pillar II
OIR_28 Share of EAFRD contribution reserved for environment and climate
%
OIR_28
%
DG AGRI
Output Pillar II
OIR_01b_2.13 total EU expenditure under measure 13
total (EU funds)
OIR_01b_2.13
euro
DOE
Output Pillar II
OIR_01b_2.11 total EU expenditure under measure 11
total (EU funds)
OIR_01b_2.11
euro
DOE
Output Pillar II
OIR_01b_2.10 total EU expenditure under measure 10
total (EU funds)
OIR_01b_2.10
euro
DOE

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
ANC
OIR_01b_2.13/ OIR_01b_1
Organic
OIR_01b_2.11/ OIR_01b_1
AECM
OIR_01b_2.10/ OIR_01b_1
Other
OIR_28 - (OIR_01b_2.13/ OIR_01b_1 - OIR_01b_2.11/ OIR_01b_1- OIR_01b_2.10/ OIR_01b_1)

Notes:

  • The Declarations of expenditure for European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (DOE) are quarterly notifications of Member States expenditure.
  • Member States are required to spend a minimum of 30% of the total contribution from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) to each Rural Development Programme on climate change mitigation and adaptation and environmental issues (with the exception of RDPs covering the outermost regions and overseas territories).(see above). This share is based on annual figures (support actually paid and not on support programmed at the beginning of the programming period.
  • The national co-financing is not included in this calculation.
  • The expenditure for agri-environment-climate measures (AECM) in FR is 0 in 2016 because France has experienced a delay in making the payments to beneficiaries.

Graph: Land cover (% of total area)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.31 Land cover
agricultural area: total
CTX_ENV_31_1a
% total area
Corine Land Cover
Context
C.31 Land cover
agricultural area: natural grassland
CTX_ENV_31_1b
% total area
Corine Land Cover
Context
C.31 Land cover
forest area: total
CTX_ENV_31_1c
% total area
Corine Land Cover
Context
C.31 Land cover
forest area: transitional woodland shrub
CTX_ENV_31_1d
% total area
Corine Land Cover
Context
C.31 Land cover
semi-natural area
CTX_ENV_31_1e
% total area
Corine Land Cover
Context
C.31 Land cover
artificial area
CTX_ENV_31_1f
% total area
Corine Land Cover
Context
C.31 Land cover
wetlands and water bodies
CTX_ENV_31_1g
% total area
Corine Land Cover

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
Agricultural
CTX_ENV_31_1a + CTX_ENV_31_1b
Forestry
CTX_ENV_31_1c + CTX_ENV_31_1d
Natural
CTX_ENV_31_1e
Artificial
CTX_ENV_31_1f
Other
CTX_ENV_31_1g

Map: Share of UAA under high farming intensity (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.33 Farming intensity
UAA managed by farms with high input intensity per hectare
CTX_ENV_33_1c
% total UAA
Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN)

Notes:

  • UAA: Utilised agricultural area.
  • In the EU, the farms with high input intensity are those ones with an average level of input use per ha higher than 316 constant EUR.

Graph: UAA by land use (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.18 Agricultural area
share of arable land
CTX_SEC_18_2a
% of total UAA
Eurostat: apro_cpsh2
Context
C.18 Agricultural area
share of permanent grassland and meadows
CTX_SEC_18_2b
% of total UAA
Eurostat: apro_cpsh3
Context
C.18 Agricultural area
share of permanent crops
CTX_SEC_18_2c
% of total UAA
Eurostat: apro_cpsh4

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
Arable land
CTX_SEC_18_2a
Permanent grassland and meadows
CTX_SEC_18_2b
Permanent crops
CTX_SEC_18_2c

Notes:

  • UAA: Utilised agricultural area.
  • The source for the total UAA is the annual crop production statistics (Eurostat).
  • In some Member States (Malta, Estonia, Slovakia...) the total does not add up to 100% because part of the agricultural land is used for kitchen gardens.

Graph: Agricultural area subject to environmental requirements (1000ha)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.18 Agricultural area
total utilised agricultural area (UAA)
CTX_SEC_18_1
1000 ha UAA
Eurostat: apro_cpsh1
Output Pillar I
OID_05 Greening
Total
OID_05_3
Number of hectares of agricultural land declared
ISAMM_GREENINGS
Output Pillar I
OIH_01_1a Cross-compliance
Total
OIH_01_1a
Number of hectares of agricultural land
CATS
Output Pillar II
OIR_06 Physical area supported (ha)
physical area supported for M10.1
OIR_06_1.1
supported hectare
AIR

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
UAA
CTX_SEC_18_1 * 1000
Greening
OID_05_3
Cross-compliance
OIH_01_1a
AECM
OIR_06_1.1

Notes:

  • UAA: Utilised agricultural area
  • The source for the total UAA is the annual crop production statistics (Eurostat).
  • ISAMM is one of the data systems used by Member States to send their notifications to the European Commission, notably for direct support and greening.
  • CATS is the Clearance of Accounts Audit Trail System, i.e. the database used for audit, based on information received from Member States.
  • The agricultural area under agri-environment-climate commitments are reported by Member States to the Commission in the Annual implementation reports (AIR) of Rural Development programmes.
  • There are other environmental requirements, such as Natura 2000, but only the main once are reported here.
  • In most Member States, the total UAA is larger than the hectares under cross-compliance due to the fact that not all hectares are supported with CAP payments and small farmers under the small farmer scheme are exempted from cross-compliance and greening. In addition, hectares under cross-compliance are larger than those under greening commitments because cross-compliance is a pre-requisite for direct support while not all farmers are subject to greening requirements linked to the size of the farm, organic farming as well as permanent crops. However, there are few exceptions:
    • in CY and CZ, the area under Cross-compliance is larger than the UAA because of differences between the definition of eligible area for direct payments and the UAA (e.g. common land is not always included in the UAA).
    • in IE, the area under greening commitments is larger than the area under cross-compliance and the UAA.
    • in ES, LT and SE the area under greening commitments is larger than the area under cross-compliance.
    • in FR, there is no AECM expenditure recorded in 2016 because France has delay in making the payments to beneficiaries.
    • in BE, HR and PT the hectares of land under AECM commitments where removed from the database for 2016 because the data was not complete.

Graph: Rural development expenditure contribution to eco-systems

Share of expenditure under priority 4 restoring, preserving and enhancing eco-systems in agriculture and forestry (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure
total (EU funds + National co-financing)
OIR_01a_1
euro
DOE
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure under Priority 4
total (EU funds + National co-financing)
OIR_01a_1.3
euro
DOE
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure under Priority 4
total (EU funds)
OIR_01b_1.3
euro
DOE

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
National co-financing
((OIR_01a_1.3 - OIR_01b_1.3)/OIR_01a_1)
EU
(OIR_01b_1.3/OIR_01a_1)

Notes:

  • The Declarations of expenditure for European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (DOE) are quarterly notifications of Member States expenditure.
  • The priority 4 of Rural Development Programmes is restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry.
  • The programmed schemes, such as agri-environment-climate commitments, organic farming and forestry measures, might have multiple objectives and address several priorities and Focus Areas, but the budget can be allocated to one priority only. Any schemes which contribute to Priority 4 but for which the expenditure is programmed under Priority 5 are not taken into account in this calculation for expenditure.
  • The reporting of output and result indicators is different to that of expenditure: all schemes designed to contribute to eco-systems objectives are included, independent of whether the expenditure is programmed under Priority 4 or Priority 5
  • Most Member States also programme the support to Areas with natural constraints (ANC) under priority 4.

Graph: Rural development financial contribution to climate action

Share of expenditure under priority 5 promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient economy (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure
total (EU funds + National co-financing)
OIR_01a_1
euro
DOE
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure under Priority 5
total (EU funds + National co-financing)
OIR_01a_1.4
euro
DOE
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure under Priority 5
total (EU funds)
OIR_01b_1.4
euro
DOE

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
National co-financing
((OIR_01a_1.4 - OIR_01b_1.4)/OIR_01a_1)
EU
(OIR_01b_1.4/OIR_01a_1)

Notes:

  • The Declarations of expenditure for European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (DOE) are quarterly notifications of Member States expenditure.
  • Many environment/climate schemes have multiple objectives and address several Focus Areas, but the budget can be allocated to one priority only. The expenditure figures reported here relate solely to operations where the expenditure is attributed to Priority 5 (promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift toward a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors). The schemes which contribute to climate action but for which the expenditure is programmed under Priority 4 (restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry) are not taken into account in this calculation for expenditure.
  • This calculation based on rural development funds and Priority 5 only differs from the Climate tracking. Complete information on the financial contribution of the CAP to mainstreaming climate action using the EU climate markers is available in the following report (annex III).

Graph: Selected CAP payments for environment (EUR/ha)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Output Pillar I
OID_01 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS)
Determined area
OID_01_2b
Number of hectares determined
CATS
Output Pillar I
OID_02 Single Area Payment Scheme (SAPS)
Determined area
OID_02_2c
Number of hectares determined
CATS
Output Pillar I
OID_05 Greening
total (EU funds + National co-financing)
OID_05_4
Euro
AGREX; EAGF FR
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure under measure 10
total (EU funds)
OIR_01b_2.10
euro
DOE
Output Pillar II
OIR_06 Physical area supported (ha)
physical area supported for M10.1
OIR_06_1.1
supported hectare
AIR
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure under measure 10
total
OIR_01a_2.10
euro
DOE

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
AECM - National co-financing
(OIR_01a_2.10 - OIR_01b_2.10)/OIR_06_1.1
AECM - EU
(OIR_01b_2.10/OIR_06_1.1)
Greening - EU
OID_05_4/(OID_01_2b + OID_02_2c)

Notes:

  • The Declarations of expenditure for European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (DOE) are quarterly notifications of Member States expenditure.
  • CATS is the Clearance Audit Trail System, i.e. the database used for audit.
  • AGREX is the Information System for Agriculture Refund Expenditure.
  • The physical area under Measure 10 (agri-environment-climate) is reported by Member States to the Commission in the Annual implementation reports (AIR) of Rural Development programmes. If a farmer has 2 contracts for agri-environment-climate measures on 1 hectare, two distinct payments will be made for 1 ha each but the physical area recorded is 1 ha. There are other CAP payments for environment such as organic (see the dashboard dedicated to organic farming), Natura 2000, afforestation...
  • These figures are indicative as they relate to different sources with a slightly different time span and scope: financial information (by financial year) and information reported on area claimed (by calendar year). In addition, the level of AECM aid is slightly overestimated because the expenditure for Measure 10 includes also support to genetic resources not paid per ha.
  • In BE, HR and PT the hectares of land under AECM commitments where removed from the database for 2016 because the data was not complete, therefore the average CAP payment could not be calculated. Similarly in HR and MT for 2017.
  • In FR, the AECM expenditure recorded in financial year 2018 might relate to several years of AECM claims and the reporting on related hectares paid is not yet fully available, thus the per hectare payment estimated for 2017 (261 EUR/ha) is most probably overestimated.