The 2024 Emissions Gap report of the UNEP has underlined that with current policies, global temperature increases during this century could well be closer to 3oC above historical levels than they are to the 1.5oC target of the Paris Agreement. Within this worrying outlook, Europe is one of the most rapidly heating continents and is warming at a rate that is more than double the global average. The consequence of higher global temperatures is that extreme weather events will become very much more common, both for heat waves and drought, and for storms and flooding. Recent events have shown how devastating these extreme weather events can be.
Agriculture will be one of the most directly affected sectors as it depends so strongly on the natural environment. If measures are not taken to adapt to extreme weather, agricultural production will be seriously affected with consequences for food supply, the viability of rural communities, and employment both directly in the sector and in food processing and logistics.
This high-level event will bring together technical experts, policy makers, and financial experts to discuss how agriculture can adapt to the challenges of climate change. Thanks are due to the EIB Climate Chair at the School of Transnational Governance, EUI for facilitating its organisation.
The conference will start with scene-setting speeches by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti, FAO Deputy Director General Maurizio Martina, and Dario Nardella, MEP and member of the EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. This will be followed with a summary of what we know of the consequences of climate change on European agricultural productivity and its competitiveness.
The second session will give an overview of some of the main solutions for resilience and adaptation, ranging from changing agricultural practices, to improving genetics, to upgrading physical infrastructure. This session will also give insights on the barriers and enablers for scaling up these solutions.
With these solutions in mind, the next session will explore the role of policy in driving agricultural resilience: Is existing policy fit for purpose, and if not, how might it be developed to further accelerate climate adaptation in agriculture?
The conference will conclude with a discussion of financing the transition. How might additional financing be made available for adaptation? This session will explore the role of insurance, blended finance, and the possible role of new market instruments.
The attached agenda provides more details. The conference will be in English.
Conference Agenda
Monday, 24 March 2025
9.00 – 10.00 AM
Opening statements and keynote speeches
Speakers
Opening statements:
Georgios Papakonstantinou, Acting Director, STG, EUI
Jos Delbeke, Professor, EIB Chair, STG, EUI
Christopher Hurst, Senior Fellow, STG, EUI
Keynote speeches:
Gelsomina Vigliotti, Vice President, European Investment Bank
Maurizio Martina, Deputy Director General, Food and Agriculture Organisation
Dario Nardella, MEP, Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
10.00 – 11.00 AM
Session 1: Setting the scene – Climate change and the future of EU agriculture
Objective
This session will set the stage by presenting an overview of how climate change is affecting and will affect agriculture in the European Union.
Speakers
Climate risk hotspots and opportunities for EU agriculture
Blaz Kurnik, Head of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation, European Environment Agency
Potential implications for food security and affordability
Jean-Francois Soussana, Vice President, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Paris
Climate change impact at farm level and implications for competitiveness of EU agriculture
Silke Hüttel, Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August Universität Göttingen
Moderator
Peter Strohschneider, former Chair, Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture
11.00 – 11.15 AM
Break
11.15 – 12.45 AM
Session 2: Solutions for climate-smart EU agriculture
Objective
This session will give an overview of some of the main solutions for resilience and adaptation, ranging from soft measures such as changing agricultural practices, to improving genetics and upgrading physical infrastructure. It will also give insights on the barriers and enablers for scaling up these solutions.
Speakers
Adapting farming practices: This sub-session will present an overview of the adaptation toolbox (precision farming, soil and water conservation, crop diversification etc.), their geographic suitability and barriers for scale up (higher complexity and knowledge gaps, additional investments and expenditures required, weak economic rationale, etc.)
Esther Esteban Rodrigo, Deputy Director, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Spain
Sebastien Windsor, President of the Chambers of Agriculture, France
Breeding for resilience: This sub-session will discuss the genetic levers to enhance crop resilience to climate change and barriers to faster progress (long development time & costs, regulatory barriers, insufficient market size/competitiveness to justify R&D expenditures on minor crops, etc.)
Garlich von Essen, Secretary General and CEO, Euroseeds
Chris-Carolin Schön, Professor, Chair of Plant Breeding, Technical University of Munich
Improving infrastructures: This sub-session will discuss the current infrastructure gaps to enhance the resilience of EU agriculture including the modernisation and rehabilitation of more adapted infrastructure (irrigation, drainage, storage, etc.).
Julio Berbel, Professor, The Water, Environmental, and Agricultural Resources Research Group, University of Cordoba, Spain
Moshi Berenstein, President, European Irrigation Association
Moderator
Mohamed Manssouri, Director, Investment Centre, FAO
12.45 – 14.00 PM
Break
14.00 – 14.15 PM
After lunch keynote
Speaker
Peter Meedendorp, President, European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA)
14.15 – 16.00 PM
Session 3: Climate proofing EU policy frameworks
Objective
This session will explore the role of EU policy in driving agricultural adaptation and resilience. The discussion will focus on how policy can be reformed or developed to accelerate climate adaptation in agriculture.
Speakers
Florence Buchholzer, Advisor, Strategy and Policy Analysis, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Jorge Pinto Antunes, Policy Officer in the European Commission at Directorate General for Climate Action, European Commission
Guillaume Gruère, Head, Agriculture and Resources Policies Division, OECD
Piedad Martin, Deputy Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, FAO
Moderator
Nicola Pochettino, Director, Energy Department, EIB
16.00 – 16.15 PM
Break
16.15 – 18.00 PM
Session 4: Financing the transition
Objective
This session will discuss potential options to channel additional financing towards climate change adaptation by the EU agricultural sector including:
- The potential for agricultural insurance to play a greater role.
- The role of blended finance for climate adaptation, innovation, and infrastructure
- The potential for synergies with new financial instruments and markets (payments for ecosystem services, carbon finance)
Speakers
Simone Aibino, Head of Strategic Business at Cassa Depositi e Prestiti
Gemma Feliciani, Director, Financial Institutions, EIB
Silvia Isabel Crespo Vergara, Manager, State Agency for Agricultural Insurance (ENESA), Spain
Alexa Mayer-Bosse, Head of Business Development and Origination, Munich Re
Nina Schindler, CEO, European Association of Co-operative Banks
Moderator
Christopher Hurst, Senior Fellow, EUI
18.00 – 18.15 PM
Wrap up – Christopher Hurst