Opportunities for a Competitive and Resilient Transition

The EU agrifood sector has significant untapped potential for climate action, but current policies are expected to yield only modest emissions reductions. Key opportunities for deep reductions include food waste reduction and the shift toward plant-based foods, which could improve public health and farmer income. However, progress is hindered by CAP subsidies that favour animal-based production and a lack of economic incentives for sustainable protein innovation. While EU long-term climate scenarios rely heavily on technology and assume only moderate dietary shifts, current trends in declining beef consumption suggest that more ambitious progress is feasible if supported by targeted policy and investment.

• Current and planned policies for the EU agriculture sector are projected to result in only modest reductions in emissions, despite the sector's significant untapped potential to support climate neutrality goals.
• The transition to plant-based foods and the reduction of food waste are identified as primary drivers for deep emissions reductions, public health improvements, and new income sources for farmers, potentially establishing the EU as a global leader in sustainable production.
• Progress toward a sustainable transition is obstructed by Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies that prioritise animal-based production, alongside regulatory hurdles, data gaps in food waste, and a lack of economic incentives for farmers to diversify.
• EU long-term climate scenarios for agriculture rely primarily on technological solutions and assume only moderate changes in diet and food waste; however, current declines in beef consumption indicate that more significant progress is already underway and feasible.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2025). Opportunities for a Competitive and Resilient Transition. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/towards-a-climate-neutral-eu-agrifood-system

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Opportunities for a Competitive and Resilient Transition. 2025. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/towards-a-climate-neutral-eu-agrifood-system.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Opportunities for a Competitive and Resilient Transition |date=14 July 2025 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/towards-a-climate-neutral-eu-agrifood-system |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2025opportunities, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Opportunities for a Competitive and Resilient Transition}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/towards-a-climate-neutral-eu-agrifood-system}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }