Moving towards an agroecological system in the European Union

Partner organisations: EPFL LEURE Lab & European Environment Bureau

The European Union has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and at least a 55% reduction by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. In this context, sustainable agricultural systems will play a decisive role in mitigating environmental degradation. Therefore, under the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) mandate, four students have explored the impact of a widespread deployment of agroecology in the EU. They have used the agriculture and food system interactive model (ARISE) to investigate the impacts of such a pathway. Taking into account social behavior change, they have outlined the results on livestock-raising practices, crop systems, biofuel production, greenhouse gas emissions, and the costs of agricultural inputs. They have also compared some results with a business-as-usual scenario. Finally, they have developed policy recommendations to facilitate the shift toward the fast implementation of an agroecological farming system in the EU.

Click here to read the Transformative Project

Students: Mathieu De Terwangne, Hugo Fenoli-Rebellato, Oscar Keren, Rémy Kurum

EEB’s supervisors: Célia Nyssens, Isabel Paliotta

Academic supervisor: Gino Baudry

Transformative Projects’ Lead: Samuel Wicki