Střety zájmů při ochraně biodiverzity a klimatu

change mitigation and adaptation be addressed within the assessment process. 7 Yet it remains an open question to what extent these legal obligations are implemented in administrative practice, particularly in the context of intensive livestock farming. This article addresses two research questions. First, does climate-oriented EIA have the potential to influence administrative decision-making substantively, or does it remain largely a formalistic exercise? Second, how do competent authorities implement the legal requirements concerning climate assessment in livestock-related EIA procedures? The findings presented here indicate that climate aspects within EIA procedures are predominantly addressed in a formalistic and superficial manner. GHG emissions are rarely quantified, adaptation measures are frequently overlooked, and references to broader climate policy objectives are absent. These shortcomings raise a more general concern: whether EIA in this sector can function as a meaningful climate governance tool, or whether it continues to operate largely as a procedural formality. 2. Methodology This article employs a combined doctrinal and empirical approach. The doctrinal analysis examines the legal obligations concerning climate considerations in the EIA framework, as developed under EU and Czech law. The empirical component is based on a qualitative content analysis of EIA documentation, expert studies, and final opinions in selected projects concerning intensive livestock operations. These sources are assessed against a structured analytical framework derived from EU legal requirements and methodological guidance, focusing on: quantification of direct and indirect GHG emissions, assessment of adaptation measures and consistency with broader climate policy objectives. The broader policy context further underlines the importance of this study. Agriculture is responsible for around 13 % of total EU GHG emissions, with methane, primarily from livestock, constituting approximately 53 % of agricultural emissions in 2019. Methane has a far higher global warming potential than CO₂, which makes livestock farming a key target for mitigation policies. Despite this, current EU targets envisage only a modest 3.7 % reduction in non-CO₂ emissions by 2030. 8 This discrepancy illustrates the political sensitivity of agriculture as both a source of emissions and a sector deemed vital for food security and rural development. It also underscores the relevance of examining whether EIA practice is capable of meaningfully integrating climate considerations in this field. 7 Article 3(1)(c) of Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. 8 CHANGING MARKETS. High Steaks: How Focusing on Agriculture Can Ensure the EU Meets Its MethaneReduction Goals [online]. Available at: https://changingmarkets.org/report/high-steaks-how focusingon-agriculture-can-ensure-the-eu-meets-its-methane-reduction-goals/ [accessed 2025-07-29].

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