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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Ajit Niranjan Europe environment correspondent

What are farmers in the EU required to do to protect the environment?

A farmer uses a crop sprayer to spray glyphosate herbicide on a field
Most European soil is unhealthy, with 60-75% containing too much nitrogen and 80% containing pesticide residue. Photograph: Jean-François Monier/AFP/Getty Images

The EU urgently needs to staunch the greenhouse gases and pollutants coming out of its farms – dirtying the land, air and water – if it is to meet its goals to protect nature and stop the planet from heating. But in the last year, EU efforts to green the agriculture sector have sparked furious protests from farmers, with the support of some far-right groups. The tensions have led politicians to water down some green policies and ditch others entirely.

How healthy are Europe’s soil and species?

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