Subject: Devastation wreaked by climate change in the farming sector
Europe has recently become a prey to powerful cyclones that are wreaking havoc on farms and individual properties. Downward air flows caused by anticyclones from Russia and the North Pole, combined with sea temperatures, can generate powerful electrically-charged winds gusting up to 150 km, with lightning and pounding rain, similar to tropical storms. These weather conditions, which are being caused by climate change, are having a totally devastating effect on agricultural and greenhouse production.
The storms are so bad that, on occasion, entire flocks of sheep and goats in their enclosures have been decimated by lightning strikes, which are also a threat to the rural populace.
These weather conditions affect the Greek mainland mainly during the summer months. In Crete, however, they occurred during the winter.
Although these events have been occurring for four years now, culminating in 2018-2019, Greek farmers and stockbreeders have received no compensation from the EU.
Furthermore, weather conditions in the coming winter might well be still more severe.
In view of this, what action will the Commission take to register the scale of the problem and extend to Greece any new measures intended to offset damage to farm production caused by events related to climate change?
Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski on behalf of the European Commission (19 December 2019)
In 2016, the Commission approved a state aid scheme established by Greece for the compensation of losses brought about by natural disasters and adverse climatic events (1). Greece could mobilise resources under this scheme.
The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) may provide support through the Greek Rural Development Programme (RDP) for investments to restore agricultural production potential damaged, for introduction of appropriate prevention actions (2) and for risk management measures (3). The latter may include financial support to insurance contracts signed by farmers and compensations paid by mutual funds (4), which could partially offset severe economic losses due to adverse climatic events. The Greek authorities have not included such risk management measures in their RDP but may activate them in the future if they so decide.
Furthermore, the Commission has taken measures to ease the difficulties faced by farmers due to adverse weather conditions. Affected farmers in Greece will be able to receive higher advance payments in 2019.
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) can support actions related to risk prevention and management, including disaster resilience and management systems. However, compensation for damages to private properties caused by natural disasters is not eligible under the ERDF.
The Commission is always ready to discuss with the Greek authorities and explore the possibility to revise the Programmes relating to the areas affected, within the scope of the regulations, in order to accommodate any mitigating actions necessary for the restoration and better prevention of damages to the natural environment, to public infrastructures and to local economies.
⋅1∙ SA.45002 (2016/N). That scheme was authorised by the Commission on the basis of the EU rules on state aid applicable to the agricultural sector (Articles 107(2)
(b) and 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU in conjunction with Sections 1.2.1.1 and 1.2.1.2 of Part II of the EU Guidelines for state aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas 2014 to 2020).
⋅2∙ Included in the current version of the Greek RDP 2014-2020.
⋅3∙ Not included in the current version of the Greek RDP 2014-2020.
⋅4∙ Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013.