Faustine Defossez, EEB Senior Policy Officer on Agriculture and Bioenergy<\/strong>, said:<\/p>\n \u201cFarming is not only being seriously affected by climate change it is also contributing to it. Up to 10% of EU greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to farming practices. Magically offsetting livestock and fertilizer emissions via carbon credits from trees will not be enough to reduce emissions.<\/em>\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Responding to the Commission\u2019s consultation [1] on how to address CO2 emissions from agriculture and land use, land use change and forestry, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) has called for keeping this sector \u2013 known as LULUCF – out of the 40% target and ensuring it has its own target. Under LULUCF accounting rules, Europe\u2019s forests and land absorb more carbon than they emit so including them in a common instrument would undermine other sectors\u2019 efforts – increases in livestock emissions would be offset and non-CO2 emissions from farming would not be properly addressed [2].<\/p>\n Faustine Defossez<\/strong>\u00a0continued:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t let the farming sector off the hook. A sector that today benefits from the support of almost 40% of the EU budget must play its part in the fight against climate change by reducing emissions, both CO2 and non CO2. This will also help make much-needed improvements to air, soil, and water quality, as well as to biodiversity.<\/em>\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The EEB called for two distinct methods for counting emissions in a joint-letter [3] sent today from NGOs to Climate Action Commissioner Miguel Arias Ca\u00f1ete.<\/p>\n ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n For further information please contact:<\/p>\n Faustine Defossez, EEB Senior Policy Officer for Agriculture and Bioenergy\u00a0faustine.defossez@eeb.org<\/a>\u00a0 +32 (0) 487 244 270<\/p>\n Emily Macintosh, EEB Communications Officer for Nature Protection and Agriculture\u00a0emily.macintosh@eeb.org<\/a>\u00a0+32 (0) 2 274 10 86<\/p>\n Notes to editors:<\/p>\n [1] The EEB presented\u00a0its submission<\/a>\u00a0to the Commission\u2019s consultation on addressing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and LULUCF in the context of the 2030 EU climate and energy framework. Consultation period ends today (18.06.15)<\/p>\n [2]\u00a0\u00a0EEB \u00a0Effort Sharing Decision consultation response<\/a><\/p>\n