Long-term Options for CAP Reform in an Ecosystems Perspective

The report argues for a paradigm shift in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from a focus on commodity production to the preservation of natural capital and ecosystem resilience. It identifies a 'triple challenge'—viable food production, sustainable resource management, and balanced territorial development—and proposes transition pathways including increased resource efficiency, embracing agricultural diversity, and expanding Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES). The analysis highlights the interdependence of these goals, noting that ecosystem degradation undermines both food security and the economic viability of rural areas, particularly in less prosperous regions.

• The CAP faces a 'triple challenge' consisting of ensuring viable food production, sustainable management of natural resources and climate action, and balanced territorial development.
• A fundamental paradigm shift is required to move the CAP's core logic from supporting marketed provisioning services (commodities) to preserving natural capital stocks that produce non-provisioning ecosystem services.
• The EU is heavily dependent on external inputs for meat production, importing over 30 million tonnes of animal feed annually, primarily from Argentina and Brazil (73%).
• Agricultural land abandonment is a significant risk in less prosperous regions, which threatens the economic viability of rural areas and the provision of ecosystem services from managed land.
• High Nature Value (HNV) farming systems, typically extensive grazing areas, provide non-provisioning ecosystem services that often far outweigh the market value of their agricultural output.
• Current agri-environmental payments are primarily 'action-based,' compensating farmers for costs or income loss, which may not foster long-term intrinsic commitment to conservation.
• Outcome-based Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are proposed as a more effective alternative to action-based payments, as they incentivize innovation and link payments directly to measured environmental results.
• The 2014-2020 CAP reform proposals introduce 'greening' measures, including a green top-up payment for 30% of direct funds, and the creation of 'ecological focus areas' (proposed at 7% of eligible land).

APA

Carson, M., Powell, N., Andersson, K., Osbeck, M., Schwarz, G., Hart, K., & Buckwell, A. (2013). Long-term Options for CAP Reform in an Ecosystems Perspective. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ResearchReport-Carson-CAPReformEcosystems-2013.pdf

Chicago

Carson, Marcus, Neil Powell, Kim Andersson, Maria Osbeck, Gerald Schwarz, Kaley Hart, and Allan Buckwell. Long-term Options for CAP Reform in an Ecosystems Perspective. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ResearchReport-Carson-CAPReformEcosystems-2013.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{carson2013longterm, author = {Carson, Marcus and Powell, Neil and Andersson, Kim and Osbeck, Maria and Schwarz, Gerald and Hart, Kaley and Buckwell, Allan}, title = {{Long-term Options for CAP Reform in an Ecosystems Perspective}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, month = jan, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ResearchReport-Carson-CAPReformEcosystems-2013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }