Set-asides (10% of our agricultural land) were not introduced for environmental reasons, and the system could cleraly benefit from reform. Nonetheless, they provide a refuge for many of our birds, insects and some mammals, particularly hares. The European Union have for some time been discussing plans to abolish set-asides but replace them with other environmental policies. Those discussions are still ongoing, and the European Enviornment Department has just commissioned a study into the environmental benefits of set-asides. Last month, however, the Commissioner for Agriculture announced that all set-asides should be scrapped for next year - without any environmental impact assessment being done. If this plan is approved, then millions of birds could be left without sufficient food and breeding sites next spring.

Politicians claim that there is no alternative but to increase Europe’s agricultural production as food prices rise – but rising food prices are the direct result of Europe and other governments promoting the expansion of biofuels. Furthermore, the biofuel industry has long been lobbying for the abolition of set-asides in order to open up more land for biofuel production.

Biofuel expansion is already causing massive deforestation, biodiversity losses, displacements of local communities and loss of food sovereignty in the global South – now Europe’s wildlife is likely to become another victim.

Please go to

 http://www.regenwald.org/international/englisch/protestaktion.php?id=195

and take part in the email alert agains the scrapping of set-aside targets without any replacement/reform, and for a moratorium on biofuel targets to protect biodiveristy and food supplies - and please let others know about it.