Land, food and nature

Building secure food and land use systems that support people, communities and nature

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, where climate impacts are no longer isolated shocks but recurring pressures on lives, infrastructure, and food systems. Land and food are central to some of Europe’s most contested debates, with agriculture responsible for 12% of EU emissions and a significant share of ecological damage.

Intensive farming has increased emissions, harmed biodiversity, and contributed to social challenges in rural areas, while failing to ensure reliable access to healthy, affordable food. It also drives global deforestation, as land in the Global South is cleared to produce feed for European livestock.

At the same time, unsustainable bioenergy use for heating and power is contributing to forest loss, higher emissions, and the degradation of ecosystems that would otherwise absorb carbon.