The EU has set an ambitious path: climate neutrality by 2050.
Agriculture, responsible for about 10% of total EU emissions, is both a challenge and an opportunity.
The question is whether the sector can truly achieve net-zero without compromising food security or farmers’ livelihoods.
Where We Stand
According to the JRC (2025), EU agriculture emits about 390 Mt CO₂e annually — mainly from:
- livestock methane,
- nitrous oxide from fertilizers,
- fossil fuels in machinery.
Cereal crops contribute less but hold great potential for carbon sequestration and renewable energy production through biogas and bioethanol.
Milestones Toward 2050
The Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy outline key targets:
- –50% pesticides and –20% fertilizers by 2030;
- 25% of farmland organic;
- stronger carbon farming schemes;
- expanded renewable energy in rural areas.
The 2023–2027 CAP supports eco-schemes and conservation practices like crop rotations, cover crops, and minimal tillage.
Technology as a Driver
Achieving neutrality requires digital, efficient, and circular agriculture.
Drones, sensors, and data models optimize input use.
Gene editing (NGTs) enhances crop resilience, while green hydrogen logistics and precision farming slash emissions.
ENEA (2025) estimates these innovations could cut Italy’s agricultural emissions by 45% by 2040.
Economics and Equity
Climate neutrality must be economically fair.
Small farms risk exclusion if the transition increases costs.
That’s why the EU is promoting certified carbon credits to reward farmers for carbon sequestration and soil restoration.
Farming may soon be recognized not as a polluter but as a climate ally.
A Cultural Shift
Reaching net-zero means more than decarbonizing — it means redefining agriculture’s purpose.
It’s a shared effort among farmers, scientists, and citizens.
As EU Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski (2025) said:
“Climate neutrality is not the end of farming — it’s its rebirth.”
Scientific and Institutional References
- European Commission (2025). EU Green Deal Progress Report.
- JRC (2025). Agricultural Emissions and Mitigation Pathways.
- ENEA (2025). Carbon Farming and Climate Neutrality in Italy.
- IPCC (2023). AR6 – Climate Change and Land.
- FAO (2024). Climate Neutral Food Systems.