Agriculture is the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, second only to the energy sector. It’s also a leading driver of biodiversity loss. But without agriculture, we die. How can these facts possibly be reconciled?

Some argue that agriculture needs to be pursued more intensively on less land; for others, less intensive agroecology is the only sustainable approach.

Unfortunately, given the urgency of the question, policymakers have failed to find a consensus. This is partly because the two models are based on assumptions that are rarely examined and depend on whether you believe that demand shapes supply, or supply shapes demand.

But what does the evidence say? And is there an ideal solution? And if there is, what does it mean for viticulture?

In this episode, Pauline Vicard meets Professor Tim Benton who leads the Environment and Society Programme at Chatham House. His research covers food and environment interactions, food policy, and trade and geopolitics, and his latest paper “Sustainable agriculture and food systems, comparing contrasting and contested versions” tackles these fundamental issues.

Why should soil health be a major concern for young generations?

At the beginning of June 2022, Moët-Hennessy held a two-day soil conference in Arles in Provence, the World Living Soils Forum. Over the two days, experts came together to explore what is known and unknown about the world beneath our feet.

The following podcast is a recording of a workshop session moderated by Jono le Feuvre, the founder and content producer for HanDrinksSolo.com, and brought together experts in farming and agricultural education. Joining Jono were: Audrey Bourolleau, who co-founded HECTAR, a training campus, a start-up and innovation accelerator, and a pilot farm in regenerative agriculture, John Furlow, the director of the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, Ronald Vargas, secretary of the Global Soil Partnership, Land and Water Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and agricultural engineer and author Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier, founder of Vignerons du Vivant, an organic training course. 

How does climate change affect soils and how can healthy soils be the answer?

At the beginning of June 2022, Moët-Hennessy held a two-day soil conference in Arles in Provence, the World Living Soils Forum. Over the two days, experts came together to explore what is known and unknown about the world beneath our feet.

The following podcast is a recording of a plenary session led by Pauline Vicard, CEO of ARENI, to discuss the issue of soils and climate change, at the recent Moët Hennessy World Living Soils Forum in Arles, Provence. Joining her were: Claire Chenu, director of research at INRAE, the National Institute of Agriculture, Food and Environment Research, who also teaches soils and science at AgroParisTech; Paul Luu, a notable agronomist and Executive Secretary of the “4 per 1000 Initiative: Soils for food security and climate”, launched at COP 21 in Paris; Jesper Saxgren, vice-chairman in Organic Denmarks Global Committee and founding member of the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation; and Nigel Greening, owner of the biodynamic Felton Road Wines in Otago, New Zealand.

How can agriculture and viticulture help depolluting the soils?

At the beginning of June 2022, Moët-Hennessy held a two-day soil conference in Arles in Provence, the World Living Soils Forum. Over the two days, experts came together to explore what is known and unknown about the world beneath our feet.

The following podcast episode is the recording of a panel session led by Felicity Carter, representing ARENI, on Soil Depollution. Joining her were Ludovic Vincent, the founder of BIOMEDE, a start-up that aims to develop ways to remediate heavy metal contamination using phytoextraction, or biological means; soil scientist Natalia Rodríguez Eugenio, who currently works at the Global Soil Partnership, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; and Johan De Fraye, head of Environmental Affairs at Signify where he is responsible for managing global environmental liabilities. He is also the chair of NICOLE, the European industrial network that groups industry, service providers and academics in solving contaminated land issues.

For anyone in wine, talking about soil is an imperative. The more we understand what happens below ground and how it impacts everything above, the better. Not only that, but as wine is an industry that has staked its legitimacy on the idea of terroir for so long, it has a special responsibility to conserve, protect and research the soil.

ARENI was therefore proud to participate in Moët Hennessy‘s World Living Soil Forum on 1 and 2 June 2022, which explored the nature of soil and its impact on the biosphere and climate, and considered how it interacts with agriculture. 

It was a lively and important discussion, that ranged across topics such as the question of what does biodiversity loss mean for humans? What does it even mean to talk about biodiversity and genetic diversity in the soil? And what are the main issues when it comes to agriculture and water usage?

The following podcast is a recording of the plenary session “Fostering Biodiversity and Managing Water: Key Resources for Thriving Soils,” moderated by Pauline Vicard, ARENI’s co-founder and executive director. Panellists included Professor Gilles Boeuf, biologist; Stuart Orr, the Freshwater Manager at the World Wildlife Fund; Héléne Valade, the Director of Environmental Development at LVMH, and Professor Diana Harrison Wall, Director of the School of Global Environmental Sustainability at Colorado University. The panel took place on 1 st June 2022.

Although declining in numbers, cooperatives still represent around half of the wine production of France, Italy, and Spain, plus a third of Germany’s. Their contribution to their local communities can hardly be overstated.

It is fair to say, however, that they have never really been associated with fine wine production, and that generations of both consumers and trade have grown up associating cooperatives wines with cheap mass production.

Yet in the last couple of decades, leading wine cooperatives have transformed themselves, and are now producing high quality wine. At the same time, a younger generation of consumers are developing an interest in cooperatives, drawn by their community ethos.

Are cooperatives the next big thing for fine wine?

This podcast is a recording of an ARENI Insight Series of 10th of May 2022, gathering Brendan Carter, Chief Thinker, Winemaker & Distiller – Team Unico in Australia, Christian Holthausen, Founder, Westbrook Marketing Partners inFrance, Master of Wine Roman Horvath, Winery Director, Domäne Wachau, Austria and Phillipe Leveau, CEO, Cordier by Invivo, France.

The term “regenerative agriculture” has become a buzzword in the past two years, encompassing such fields as regenerative viticulture and agroforestry.

But what does it all mean? And what will this new approach to agriculture mean for the production of fine wine? Will they improve, or even redefine, how we think about viticulture and terroir?

In this episode, we talk to Mimi Casteel, who holds a Masters in forest sciences and biology, one of the leading voices of the regenerative viticulture movement.

She discusses how studying trees and forests has shaped her vision of the world, and working regeneratively has impacted her viticulture and winemaking at her Hope Well vineyard in Oregon.

Wine professionals are now fully aware that climate change is having an impact on wine. But what can we do about it?

Wine experts Michelle Bouffard and Jeremy Cukierman MW are two of the three co-authors of a new book called Quel vin pour demain? Le vin face aux défis climatiques, or What Wine Tomorrow? Wine Facing Climate Challenges, which is about to be released in both Spanish and English.

From vineyards all the way through to wine retail, they discuss how people around the world are rising to the challenge. In researching the book, what did they discover? Let’s find out.

According to Bloomberg, plant-based foods are expected to exceed $162 billion, or 7% of the global food market, within the next decade.

In its latest report UK supermarket chain Sainsbury's estimated that 25% of its customers will be vegan by 2025. This growing interest in plant-based diets is already impacting the way that fine wine is being produced and distributed.

What could a 100% plant-based food and beverage system look like?

This podcast is a recording of a live Insight Series organised by ARENI on March the 2nd 2022, gathering four international experts and moderated by award-winning journalist Elin McCoy.

Is wine good for your health? And if it is or isn’t, what are the consequences?

The wine trade has certainly always embraced the message that moderate drinking is part of a healthy diet. But wine is now under attack by the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Beating Cancer – which has stated that there is no alcohol consumption without health risks. This could lead to serious consequences, including cutting funds from alcohol production.

In this episode, we speak to psychiatrist and drug researcher Professor David Nutt, on what is known for certain about wine, alcohol and health.

David is the chairman of Drug Science and in 2020 he published the book Drink? The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health.