Jessika Roswall has prioritised building Europe’s bioeconomy and creating a market for nature credits as she aims to become the next European Commissioner for the Environment.

The Swedish minister was speaking at the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety in Brussels on Tuesday.

Roswall has committed to meeting with Commissioner-designate for agriculture, Christophe Hansen, to discuss issues in the farming sector including emissions reductions.

Responding to questions during the hearing, she said that the EU needs “innovative technological solutions” to farming issues.

“There are a lot of things here, but one thing is the bioeconomy,” she said.

“Because I think there is an opportunity for farmers also to be a part and they are already a part of the bioeconomy.

“But there is a business opportunity here, if we mainstream and boost the bioeconomy.”

Derogation

When asked about the nitrates derogation, she said that it cannot be a blanket directive for the entire EU.

“I’m fully aware of the situation for farmers and also fully aware of the situation in many member states.

“There is an evaluation ongoing on the directive and the implementation on the countries that have derogations,” she said.

Meanwhile, Roswall added that farmers should be incentivised and rewarded for using sustainable agriculture practices.

“I’m fully convinced that farmers will be a part of the solution, but I think the nature credits, which I will explore further, could be and will be an important part,” she said.

“It’s not easy to measure nature or set a price on nature, but we all know that there is an economic value on doing the right thing for the ecosystem, and that the ecosystem also provides us biodiversity in the economy.

“Nature credit is for rewarding those who actually do something right and improve the nature, like the farmers and the foresters do,” she maintained.