Biodiversity Conservation as the Determinant of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

Abstract

One of the effects of human expansion on the Earth is enormous growth of the species extinction rate. And this process leads to significant reduction of biodiversity. Meanwhile, its protection is necessary for the most elemental reasons, it means: maintenance of the action mechanisms of the living nature; maintenance of the ability of the nature to survive changes to the environment; prevention of the loss of natural values, hitherto undiscovered and unused, which constitute the basis for development and the guarantee to survive future generations. The concept of biological diversity was defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted at the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development (so called “Earth Summit”) in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992. The European Union is the Signatory of that Convention. Therefore, the obligations imposed on the signatories of the Convention shall be also reflected in the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union. However, up till the year 2014 the necessity of biological biodiversity conservation did not constitute the determinant of the Common Agricultural Policy. After, at least the last development stage of CAP introduces the set of measures which benefits the protection of diversity. However, it is important that the CAP legal regulations shall be reflected in the national legal regulations of the Members of the European Union, as well as that their implementation shall be accompanied by recognition of the natural capital value by the European Union community.