Environmental, economic, and social trade-offs of European farming systems

Agriculture is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations because of the important nutritional, economic, social, and cultural benefits it provides to people. However, agriculture also has substantial negative impacts on land, biodiversity, water, and climate.

In Europe, agriculture accounts for more than 10% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as over 10% of GDP and employment for over 25 million people. In this four-year project funded by the Swedish Research Council Vetenskapsrådet, we characterize and evaluate agricultural systems and their social and environmental trade-offs, with the ultimate aim to identify policy options and leverage points to manage land for food, fuel, and fibre production more sustainably in Europe.