Future endangered: EU environmental investments for 2070 on the brink!

Future endangered: EU environmental investments for 2070 on the brink!

Österreich, Land - The current negotiations on the EU budget are taking a critical light on investments in environmental and nature conservation. According to ÖKO-NEWS are the outstanding funds for nature conservation, to prevent future environmental crises. The recently adopted EU Recipient Organization Ordinance, also known as Nature Restoration Law, requires considerable additional investments to implement your goals.

The European Union estimates that a need for financing of a whopping 154 billion euros is required by 2070. In return, an estimated public benefit of 1,860 billion euros is expected. Gábor Wichmann, Managing Director of Birdlife Austria, emphasizes that natural-based measures offer long-term return-on investment. However, he warns that today's savings in environmental and nature conservation could cause costly repair costs in the future.

urgency of financing

Due to these forecasts, Birdlife Austria demands that the funds for the life program and rural development within common agricultural policy (GAP) not to shorten. These funds are essential for the protection of biodiversity and climate tours. Experts speak out for effective, scientifically well -founded measures to reallocate the budgets from direct payments.

The gap, which is reformed every seven years, has undergone many changes since it was founded after the Second World War. While the average annual funding for EU agriculture from 58 billion euros (2014-2020) was reduced to 54 billion euros (2023-2027), a third of the EU budget still flows into agriculture. This trend is in the context of the efforts to improve ecological standards and promote sustainable development, such as The Federal Environment Ministry emphasized.

reforms in the common agricultural policy

A critical view of the GAP shows numerous challenges, including overproduction, which led to “milk lakes” and “butter mountains”, as well as at high costs through government interventions. The Reforms of the GAP aim to promote a departure of price supports and to offer farmers more direct support. Around 70% of the funds are currently flowing as direct payments to agricultural companies, whereby minimum requirements for environmental and climate services play an increasing role.

Germany, for example, will receive around 6 billion euros annually for the funding period by 2027, including 1 billion euros for specific eco-regulations. The financing of these programs is considered crucial for the promotion of sustainable agriculture and the protection of the environment. This approach could also help to secure the necessary financing for the implementation of the EU Redes Production Ordinance and thus to support the ecological renewal of Europe.

Austria's representative at EU level are called on to work for a future-proof medium-range distribution. Investments in nature are not only necessary to protect biodiversity, but also for public interests such as health, security and quality of life of central importance.