The political economy of food system transformation in the European Union

The European Union (EU)’s food system is under pressure for reform. Agriculture production alone is responsible for 10 percent of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, while the EU’s food system as a whole contributes about three times as much emissions when measured on a territorial basis. Current modes of food production in the EU are strongly linked to biodiversity loss, water and air pollution, animal welfare concerns, and the exploitation of people working in the food chain. Diet-induced increases in the number of Europeans suffering from overweight and obesity have contributed to the rapid spread of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes type II, cardio-vascular disease and various types of cancer, amounting to approximately 16 million healthy lives lost in the EU in 2017. Furthermore, there are ongoing concerns and debates about the EU food system’s impacts on ecosystems and livelihoods outside of the continent, especially in the Global South.