ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the current European Union (EU) climate change policy and its impact upon two other major policies of the European Union, namely energy and agriculture. The Climate and Energy Package, published in 2007 and adopted in 2009, contained the EU's medium-term strategy in terms of climate change and energy security, with the aim of introducing an energy-efficient and low-carbon economy. The direct impact of climate change on agriculture can also be seen in soil fertility, the increased vulnerability of soil organic matter, and higher risks of soil erosion caused by rising temperatures. The EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), through a major reform process, has over the years moved towards a greater inclusion of environmental and climate concerns. For the first time in the history of CAP, the direct payments and certain other special types of financial support described under common market organisation (CMO) were subject to compliance with environmental requirements for the purpose of climate change mitigation.
