Climate change adaptation in the agriculture sector in Europe

Climate changes are already influencing crop yields and livestock productivity in Europe, as well as the availability of water needed for irrigation, livestock watering practices, processing of agricultural products, and transport and storage conditions.
The EEA Report “Climate change adaptation in the agriculture sector in Europe” provides a detailed assessment of latest scientific knowledge about the key climate-related problems that agriculture is facing in the EU and explores the expected impacts for the next decades. According to the report, climate change is projected to reduce crop productivity especially in southern Europe and to improve the conditions for growing crops in northern Europe, although the negative impact of extreme events on agriculture is expected to increase. The report discusses the effects of climate change on trade patterns, farmland values, agricultural income and food prices. Moreover, it gives an overview of how EU policies and programmes address climate change adaptation and includes examples of feasible and successful adaptation actions. The EEA report stresses that more knowledge, innovation and awareness raising are required to improve the effective use of the already available adaptation measures and suggests that EU Member States should better prioritise adaptation in the agricultural sector, for example by increasing the financing of adaptation measures through the implementation of the CAP.