Will the next CAP sufficiently adapt agriculture to climate change?

Description

In 2025, European agriculture is facing increasing pressure linked to climate change, with already visible impacts on yields, water management, and the stability of production systems. Faced with the growing frequency of droughts, climate-related hazards, and economic pressures, EU Member States must rethink their agricultural models in order to reconcile food security, economic viability, and environmental sustainability. A central question remains: should yield reductions be accepted to ensure long-term resilience, or are there agronomic innovations capable of maintaining productivity while reducing the climate footprint? Agroecological transition, crop diversification, sustainable soil management, and the development of low-carbon value chains appear to be key levers, in a context where the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is considered insufficiently adapted to resilience and transition challenges.

Member States face the challenge of supporting a profound transformation of agri-food chains by strengthening cooperation between producers, industry, and retailers, and by developing economic mechanisms that reward sustainable practices. Agricultural cooperatives play a key role in this transition by facilitating innovation, pooling investments, and supporting farm adaptation. At the same time, the post-2027 CAP reform will need to better integrate climate-related challenges by supporting carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and risk reduction, while aligning with the future EU budget and the adaptation strategy. The workshop will explore ways to support this transformation by mobilising financing, developing innovative insurance tools, and strengthening governance at all levels.

Initiatives led by territories, cooperatives, agri-food companies, and local authorities already illustrate concrete transition models based on agroecology, short supply chains, and local food policies. They highlight the decisive role of territorial dynamics, particularly in the most exposed regions such as Southern Europe or urban areas, where new forms of agriculture are emerging. These experiences underline the need to rethink public policies in order to better support local actors, ensure the resilience of food systems, and make European agriculture a strategic lever for ecological transition, food sovereignty, and territorial cohesion.

How can the systemic transition of the European agri-food sector towards climate resilience be accelerated, given that the current CAP is delivering critical outcomes, with a stagnating agricultural carbon sink and increasing risks of climate shocks, in line with the EU Climate Science Advisory Council report (March 2026), the post-2027 CAP, the forthcoming 2028 Multiannual Financial Framework, and the future European Adaptation Strategy?

Speakers

• Mathieu COURGEAU, farmer, Via Campesina Europe
• Hervé GUYOMARD, Research Director at INRAE

Moderator: Emmanuelle BRISSE, Independent Consultant – Environmental Strategy (Agricultural and Food Transition) and Stakeholder Dialogue