Rapporteur Talks

The Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of the European Green Deal, aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly. The aim of the Farm to Fork strategy is to make the EU food system a global standard for sustainability. But the transition to sustainable food systems will require a collective approach involving public authorities at all levels of governance, private sector actors across the food value chain, non-governmental organisations, social partners, academics and citizens.

In March 2020, European Commission President von der Leyen unveiled a ‘climate law’ to commit the 27-nation EU to reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. Six months later, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged that China would become carbon neutral by 2060. Both announcements were seen as key in the global fight against climate change.As two high-ambition regions sharing a determination to live up to the objectives of the Paris Agreement, the EU and China are natural coalition partners. The EU wants to work closely with China to deploy a 'climate diplomacy' to share efforts with the rest of the world, especially with the biggest emitters. Together, they could exert strong pressure on other emitters to increase their ambitions, notably in Asia, a continent accounting for more than half of global emissions, but also in the Americas. It could turn 2021 into a successful year for climate action, culminating in COP-26 in November in Glasgow.

The ongoing health crisis is having a devastating impact on Europe’s restaurants, cafés and bars.The sector has faced a patchwork of measures, ranging from curfews to maximum patron capacity to complete closure, often with minimal advance notice.Owners are confronted with what seems to be a moving target. After last spring’s lockdowns, they invested in safety and hygiene concepts, only to revert to delivery and takeaway services, before closing down again. That has been the picture across Europe, with few exceptions.With the prospect of a third wave, the sector is in urgent need of a consistent policy strategy that goes beyond closures and immediate financial relief.

The EU is in the process of updating its Arctic policy. In this interactive seminar, youth representatives from the European Arctic had the chance to give their input on Arctic policy directly to the EU, while offering the EU an opportunity to engage and respond.

Often confused with food security or food self-sufficiency, food sovereignty refers to the right of populations to define their own agricultural and food policies, protect and control internal agricultural production and trade, determine their margin of independence and limit dumping of imported products at low prices in their markets. This concept therefore emphasizes local production and consumption.

The EU Green Deal seeks to “transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use”. The development of innovative solutions is thus of key importance.

There are numerous efforts aimed at achieving a more sustainable future through inventions, including in the field of agriculture, which is both strongly impacted by climate change and a driver of climate change at the same time. Its role is therefore key for a sustainable future. New technological solutions in the field of biotechnology for instance have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to make agricultural resources more resilient to climate change.

Climate science and technology are complex topics with a high potential for controversy. But ensuring people adequately understand the climate challenges is an essential element of the global response to the climate crisis. More than ever before, the European Commission is driving Europe's ambition to lead the fight against climate change.

The European Green Deal announced by Commission President Von der Leyen in December 2019 is testament to that. As part of the Green Deal, the Commission launched a European Climate Pact to give everyone a voice and space to design new climate actions, share information, launch grassroots activities and showcase solutions that others can follow.

In the Caucasus, political stability in recent years has allowed the region to experience strong and consistent economic growth. More recently, big energy infrastructure projects such as the Southern Gas Corridor and the East-West Corridor have also underlined the strategic importance the region represents to its European neighbours.

The European Commission tabled the updated 2030 climate target in September, saying a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions was “achievable” and “beneficial” for the EU economy. The European Parliament subsequently voted for a 60% target for greenhouse gas reductions by 2030. The political sensitivities around the target mean it will likely be decided by heads of government, meaning the target would need unanimous support from the 27 Member States.

The EU digital agenda for the 2019-2024 mandate is marked by a series of broad-ranging reforms, which are intended to guide Europe through the digital transition, as new technologies emerge. With Artificial Intelligence at the heart of the debate, the issue of ethics, namely in regulating data gathering and usage, remains centre stage.

But who should decide what is ‘ethical’ when it comes to regulation? A principles-based, human-centred framework might be the solution, as policymakers cannot foresee the direction in which technology will develop. Recent EU national strategies on AI are framed in this direction, since they underline specific needs and the hierarchy of steps needed to evaluate the potential harm of AI and to find legislation to address this.