Environmental report is a source of hope

The French Environmental Institute has recently published a study analyzing the impact of French agriculture on the environment from 2002 to 2006. Although the report emphasizes an ecological result that is a source of hope, it above all reveals the central role of agriculture in the fight against the deterioration of the environment.

This study highlights several encouraging developments. For example, fertilizers are used with more moderation and breaking down the doses has become more generalized, which makes it possible to adapt the amounts to the needs of the crops.

In addition, cropping techniques that help preserve the soil are developing progressively and are contributing to the improvement of plant biodiversity.

Finally, the report insists on the active role played by agriculture in the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions: between 1991 and 2004 it has reduced emissions by 10% whereas those produced by the transportation, housing and service sectors have each increased by more than 22%.

Progress still needs to be made in certain areas and notably in water quality. Even if the quality of river water, in terms of nitrates, has stopped deteriorating, the situation is worse for water tables and the sea.

Besides the progress that remains to be made, this study underlines the ability of farmers to adapt and particularly the integration of environmental concerns in their production methods. This is an essential dimension which, however, is never included in the current decision making tools (economic models) that are the basis of national and international policies. This is why WOAgri has decided to include this fundamental variable in the economic model it is building, the NAR model, in order to provide international negotiators and policy makers with a more realistic decision-making tool.