Agri-food systems contributing to biodiversity objectives (ETC BE Working Paper 2025)

Humanity faces an unprecedented sustainability challenge, with food systems playing a central role. The global food system is among the largest drivers of environmental impacts, including climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss, accounting for over a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly half of the planet’s biocapacity. As human populations and consumption demands continue to grow, the stability of key planetary systems is increasingly threatened. This working paper synthesizes knowledge on the European agri-food system, addressing two main objectives: 1) examining its current environmental and biodiversity impacts, alongside the potential of circularity to mitigate these effects, and 2) exploring how biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices are interconnected with and can be supported by shifts in food consumption.
This working paper offers valuable insights into existing monitoring frameworks and methodologies, their ability to effectively capture environmental and biodiversity impacts, and key findings from their evaluations.