High Nature Grasslands in Europe- their position within the GHG debate -

Peter VeenRoyal Dutch Society for Nature Conservation

Side Event „Operationalizing Landscape Approaches“, 5th of November 2010

High Nature Value areas

Source: European Environmental Agency, 2007

Example of HNV category 1 on the mountain slopes towards category 2 in the valley: United Kingdom – Cumberland

Example of HNV category 3: large scale meadows with Black-tailed Godwit

Mapping of semi-natural grasslands

• National mapping projects (exceptions Romania, Poland)

• Executed by national institutes, universities and NGOs

• Scientifically sound mapping methodology

• Resulting in a GIS based Database of biodiversity data and other information like management, abandonment

• Goals: to support candidate countries/NMS with the implementation of AE schemes and the identification of Natura2000 sites

Projected impacts from climate change in Europe

Source: EU, 2009

Mainly by producing two powerful greenhouse gases:

methane - from livestock digestion processes, stored animal manure and organic soils – sources: livestock production and soils

nitrous oxide - from organic and mineral nitrogen fertilisers – sources: intensity of land use

Currently in EU, about 9 % of total greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture (down from 11 % in 1990).Source: EU, 2009

Origin of GHG from agriculture

Reduction of GHG production in agriculture

• Introduction of HNV agricultural farming types

• Conservation of existing HNV grasslands in Europe

• Green labelling of agricultural systems

• Special application technics for manure and fertilizing applications

Thank you for attention

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