Amen­dement Hazekamp/Eck: voorstel ter vermin­dering van de nationale emissies van bepaalde lucht­ver­ont­rei­ni­gende stoffen (1)

Jan Huitema
Reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants and amending Directive 2003/35/EC

Proposal for a directive
COM(2013)0920 - C7-0004/2014 – 2013/0443(COD)

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Amendment 1
Anja Hazekamp, Stefan Eck

Proposal for a directive
Recital 7 a (new)

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(7 a) Member States should specifically look at the agricultural sector for possibilities of reducing emission of atmospheric pollutants. The vast majority of EU ammonia emissions and around half of EU methane emissions originate from agriculture. Member States should consider reducing high density intensive livestock farming, promotion of livestock grazing and promotion of agroecology principles and legally binding emission reduction commitments for ammonia and methane, as effective measures of emission reduction.

Justification

Both ammonia and methane have severe impacts on human health. Ammonia leads to the formation of secondary particulate matter, which, together with ozone, is the pollutant with the highest impact on human health. Methane is an ozone precursor which causes health impacts and contributes to global warming. The agricultural sector is a crucial actor in the process to reduce emissions of atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gases.