Adapting To Climate Change: Lords debate report on EU agriculture and forestry

The House of Lords will look at how EU agriculture and forestry should adapt to climate change in a debate on Thursday 24 March.

The debate follows a report published last year by the Lords EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment which made recommendations for the European Commissions framework for action in adapting to climate change.

The report said that reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should be defined by the need for sustainable intensification of agriculture.  In support of this goal, the report called for a better research and development capacity related to climate change and greatly improved arrangements for advising farmers on implementing research findings.

Baroness Sharp of Guildford (Liberal Democrat), who sits on the Committee, will open the debate.  Other Members scheduled to speak include:

• Lord Framlingham (Conservative), a farmer and former arboricultural consultant who was MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich until May 2010.   He will make his maiden speech during the debate.

• Baroness Quin (Labour), former Minister for Europe and for Agriculture

• Lord Giddens (Labour), sociologist and emeritus professor at the London School of Economics who has spoken and written extensively on the politics of climate change.  He is also a member of the EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment

• Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat), former member of the EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment and of the Draft Climate Change Bill Joint Committee

• Earl of Selborne (Conservative), a farmer and former chair of the Royal Agricultural Society who is chair of the Foundation for Science and Technology

Lord Henley will respond on behalf of the government.

1. The report Adapting to climate change: EU agriculture and forestry is available from The Stationery Office, House of Lords EU Committee (Sub-Committee on Environment and Agriculture), 8th Report of 2009/10, HL Paper 91.
2. The report looks at European Commission’s White Paper, Adapting to Climate Change: Towards a European framework for action (April 2009), and the accompanying paper on the challenge for agriculture and rural areas.
3. The debate is scheduled to take place on Thursday 24 March.  It will be the second debate in the Chamber following questions at 11am.  Members of the media and public can attend the debate.
4. A full list of speakers to date can be found at www.lordswhips.org.uk.
5. The debate can be watched live at www.parliamentlive.tv and a transcript will be available approximately three hours from the start of the debate at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldtoday/home.htm.
6. More information about the House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment can be found at www.parliament.uk/hleud.