European Agricultural policy

The EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy was designed to ‘accelerate the transition to a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system’. It sets a range of targets to be met by 2030, underpinned by a mixture of new or revised laws, and non-legislative initiatives. As the current European Commission nears the end of its mandate, this article proposes how the next European Commission, from 2024–2029, should carry forward the goals of the Farm to Fork Strategy, and actions to meet its targets, especially as the EU is currently stalling many of its aspects in light of recent farmer protests.

With the European elections just around the corner and the subsequent appointment of a new European Commission, the next phase of the European transition to climate neutrality is about to begin. This article touches upon some key topics and challenges that lie ahead in the near future to ensure an effective implementation of the European Green Deal (EGD).

Deforestation — the widespread clearing of forests for various purposes — has become a critical global issue with profound environmental, social, and economic consequences. Driven by factors like agriculture, logging, and urban expansion, this destructive practice exacerbates climate change, threatens biodiversity, and jeopardizes communities worldwide. In this report, we explore the multifaceted reasons why deforestation requires immediate attention and action.

Averting catastrophic climate scenarios requires that we phase out fossil fuels and transform food systems at the same time.

In a new CAP that largely maintains the status quo, social conditionality emerges as one of the few truly innovative elements. But is it going to be a real game-changer? This new legislative tool has the potential to improve the working conditions of millions of farm workers. But does it offer the means to achieve this goal? In this article, we will explore what can be anticipated and discuss ways to enhance its effectiveness.

It is widely known that energy companies have been making enormous profits since the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. Over recent months, however, there has also been much evidence of crisis profiteers in the agri-food sector, as food prices in many countries are still rising steeply. High food prices are directly contributing to a rise in poverty and food insecurity.

The 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biodiversity took place in Montreal from the 7th to the 19th of December, 2022. The results were mixed. This article analyses the good, the bad, the ugly, as well as the way forward from CBD COP15.

With the future of biodiversity on the line, UN member states meeting in Montreal this December must set a framework for a new conservation paradigm.

Parts of global crop production are lost to pests and plant pathogens each year. Pesticides have been designed to prevent these yield losses – but they also give rise to new problems.

Even though we chiefly associate Microsoft, Google, Amazon or Facebook with the content that appears across most screens every single day, the very same tech giants will soon indirectly appear… on our plates. While doing so, they will also strengthen the agro-food sector that has long needed a fundamental makeover.