Press release - August 2, 2018
The European Commission has announced measures in response to drought conditions in Europe.
Farmers will receive subsidies in advance, and will be exempted from certain requirements to protect the environment, such as crop diversification and leaving part of their land unfarmed to encourage biodiversity.
Greenpeace European agriculture campaigner Christiane Huxdorff said: “The measures adopted by the Commission may give some farmers temporary relief, but they will also reinforce the damaging intensive farming practices that drive climate change in the first place and make droughts like the current one in Europe more likely.”
“Water reserves are already under extreme pressure from intensive meat and dairy production, and pesticide-heavy industrial farming that reduces crop diversity. As long as governments and the EU refuse to back sustainable farming methods that don’t exacerbate climate change and are more resilient to its effects, this crisis will be the new normal.”
Contact: Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 1911, 
This press comment is also available online at www.greenpeace.eu
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Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties.