Institution of Agriculture Commission of Federal Environment Agency

9-member team of experts consults on conservation and agriculture

The foundation of an agriculture commission at the Federal Environment Agency (KLU) is meant to promote environmental protection in and with the agricultural sector. The appointed chief of the KLU unit is Mr Lutz Ribbe, Director of the EURONATUR Foundation. “The effects of agriculture on our climate, water and soil continue to cause grave environmental problems that require urgent attention. The agriculture commission will assist and consult the Federal Environment Agency with concrete proposals for more environmentally sustainable agriculture.  In addition, their efforts aim to attract more attention to environmental protection in the upcoming round of reforms to the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), due to take place by 2013,” explains President Jochen Flasbarth of the Federal Environment Agency. “The environmental problems currently faced by agriculture were not caused by farmers who breached the law”, says Lutz Ribbe, “but rather as a result of inadequate legislative provisions and the wrong economic incentives.” Negotiations to reform Common Agricultural Policy must serve to make corrections with a view to effecting an overall reduction of the environmental impact of agricultural activities.
No. 53/2010

Lutz Ribbe has identified reduction of ammonia emissions-- which enhance the eutrophication and acidification of soils and bodies of water- and high-standard protection of waters as key KLU goals. Climate change poses a new challenge facing agriculture which, in addition to the aforementioned issues, must be addressed through implementation of effective measures.

UBA President Jochen Flasbarth appointed experts from the fields of agriculture and conservation to the Commission. They are Ms Annette Freibauer and Ms Hiltrud Nieberg of the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute (vTI), Mr Kurt Hülsbergen of the Technische Universität Munich, Mr Heino von Meyer of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and  Development (OECD), Mr Ulrich Peterwitz of Gelsenwasser AG, Mr Wolfram Güthler of the Bavaria State Ministry of Environment and Health, Mr Franz Makeschin of the Technische Universität Dresden, and Mr Andreas Krug of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.

Dessau-Roßlau, 9 November 2010

Umweltbundesamt Hauptsitz

Wörlitzer Platz 1
06844 Dessau-Roßlau
Germany

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