A Green Deal for implementing agroecological systems: Reforming the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union.

Authors: Alain Peeters, Olivier Lefebvre, Lili Balogh, Paolo Barberi, Caterina Batello, Stéphane Bellon, Tommaso Gaifami, Vasileios Gkisakis, Marcos Lana, Paola Migliorini, Ole Ostermann, Alexander Wezel

Published: 2020

Publishing House: Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Institute of Organic Farming

ISSN: 2700-8711

Language: English

Among the most recent academic studies in which a multidisciplinary team explicates the reasons and ways to redesign and restructure the European agricultural system in a systemic and circular way by following agroecological practices that have already been widely tested in different contexts.

A design that can best pursue objectives already present in Article 191 TFEU and the 2021-2027 CAP guidelines recognizing that the agricultural sector in the EU is responsible for soil, air and water pollution, loss of biodiversity and to an increase in chronic diseases in human beings.
A comprehensive and thorough academic study of the need for “thinking in systems” with all the related possibilities already present.

“The rationale and ambition for a deep redesign of agricultural and food systems in Europe is developed in this paper and based on three main documents: The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) (EU, 2016), the priorities of the European Commission for the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (EC, 2018) for the 2021-2027 period, and the European “Green Deal” (EC, 2019). The major issues we hereby address are climate change adaptation and mitigation, management of natural resources, conservation and restoration of biodiversity and enhancement of ecosystem services, and economic and societal aspects. Then we outline essential components for an agroecological Green Deal in Europe.”