COP30 | Amplifying the voice of civil society and pushing for bolder action

As COP30 marks a decade since the Paris Agreement, I want to emphasize the urgent need for bolder climate action. Despite some progress, global emissions and extreme weather events continue to rise. The EESC calls for deeper mitigation, just transition programs, and ambitious targets to ensure a sustainable, climate-resilient future - emphasizing that safeguarding the planet is a moral obligation for all.💬Read the editorial

The EESC at COP30 | Contributions and side events
The EESC is actively participating in the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) which is being held in Belém, Brazil, until 21 November 2025. As part of the EU delegation, the EESC is represented by three members plus the EESC Youth delegate to COP and is taking take part in discussions and side events urging the EU, governments and the international community to raise climate ambition and translate commitments into science-based action, with organised civil society playing a key role. Read more 

NAT members | 2025-2030

On 13 November 2025, the NAT section held its first meeting of the new 2025–2030 term. The section now counts 100 members (nearly half of whom are newcomers) while the proportion of women has risen by 14% compared to the previous term, further strengthening gender balance. Explore the full list of members here.

NAT section debate | Europe's environment 2025

On 13 November 2025, the NAT section of the EESC hosted a public debate in the context of the European Environment Agency's recently published flagship report Europe's Environment 2025. Policymakers, experts, and civil society representatives discussed the key findings of the report and how they can guide policy action and implementation. They also identified priority responses to Europe's environmental and social challenges and explored ways to strengthen cross-sector cooperation to ensure a fair, inclusive and sustainable transition. Read more 🎬Video recording 

EU Organic Awards 2025 | Winners announced!

On 23 September, the European Commission announced the winners of the fourth edition of the EU Organic Awards. The EESC proudly awarded the winners of the three categories of Organic Awards under its responsibility with Austria, Germany and Greece leading with best organic food processor, retailer, and restaurant. The winners of all categories participated in a special ceremony hosted by EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen. Read more🎬Watch the Ceremony recording

World Food Forum and Committee of Food Security | EESC pushes resilient and sustainable food systems and youth
In October, at the World Food Forum in Rome, the EESC delivered a clear message: resilient and sustainable food systems must be the cornerstone of global policy. Regenerative agriculture is part of this vision, but so too is giving young people and youth organisations a real say in shaping the future. The EESC was also present as an observer at the Committee on World Food Security, the UN’s foremost platform for inclusive food governance, enabling Europe’s organised civil society to feed its priorities directly into global debates. Read more 

One Health | Why Europe’s future depends on protecting people and the planet
At its September plenary, the EESC adopted an own-initiative opinion on One Health, setting out a comprehensive vision for how Europe can protect human wellbeing in the face of mounting environmental and health threats. The opinion builds on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Its central message is simple but urgent: the state of our environment directly shapes the health of citizens. Read more 

Food policy | EESC urges EU to simplify farm policy and adopt coherent food strategy
The EESC adopted two opinions at its September session, calling on the EU to build a coherent food policy around organic and quality products while also simplifying the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to cut red tape for farmers. The EESC sets out detailed recommendations to reduce administrative burdens and make EU farm policy more practical for farmers and authorities alike. It also proposes a harmonised EU rule allowing Member States to apply reduced VAT rates on certified quality products, making them more affordable and accessible. Read more 

ECESP – Congratulations to the new Coordination Group 2025-2028!
Jointly, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment and the European Economic and Social Committee are delighted to announce the 24 organisations that will form the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) Coordination Group (CG) for the 2025-2028 term. For the next two and a half years, 24 organisation representatives will collaborate to shape the Platform’s activities and work closely with the steering group to foster the transition to a circular economy and bioeconomy in Europe. Read more 

European Parliament commends EESC’s youth engagement efforts in 2023 discharge report
In significant recognition of youth participation in EU policymaking, the European Parliament has officially commended the EESC on the EESC Youth Test in the 2023 discharge report. The EESC Youth Test is designed to ensure that the voices and perspectives of young people are systematically considered when the EESC draws up its opinions. It represents a forward-thinking model for inclusive governance and is already influencing how institutions approach youth participation. Read more 

EESC event | Sustainability in the new geopolitical order
On 8 September 2025, the NAT section of the EESC hosted its end of mandate debate with the aim of addressing some of the crucial and systemic questions raised by the new geopolitical order from the point of view of civil society, and to chart possible pathways for the future. In conversation with key experts, stakeholders and youth representatives, the debate focused on the challenges and opportunities to ensure a sustainable future in an increasingly polarised world and on the role for civil society in the governance of these transitions. Read more 🎬Video recording 

European Commission | Environmental Implementation Review
The Environmental Implementation Review is a regular reporting tool designed to improve the implementation of EU environmental laws and policies. The latest report finds that loss of biodiversity continues to prevail over recovery. This is mainly due to the change of land use for agricultural purposes and agricultural intensification. Member States need to improve the mainstreaming of nature protection across other policies and speed up the implementation of nature legislation. Read more 

European Commission | EU stockpiling strategy: Boosting the EU's material preparedness for crises
On 9 July 2025, the European Commission published a communication on the EU stockpiling strategy, one of the actions of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy. While emergency reserves remain a primary national responsibility, Member States across the EU have been facing similar challenges in recent times and there is scope for unlocking synergies on collective preparedness at EU level by sharing experience and working together on how best to secure timely access to essential goods for authorities, businesses and the public in an inclusive way. Read more 

European Commission | Co-creating nature-based solutions with commonly excluded stakeholders
This publication by the European Commission highlights the persistent exclusion of commonly excluded stakeholders (CES) - such as marginalized communities, migrants, indigenous peoples, youth, older adults, and those facing socio-economic vulnerabilities - from the co-creation of nature-based solutions (NbS). Although inclusivity is vital for NbS to be effective and sustainable, CES are often sidelined due to power imbalances, structural barriers, and lack of trust. The report outlines key challenges and practical approaches, and distills eight guiding principles for meaningful, ongoing inclusion throughout the NbS lifecycle. Read more 

FAO - The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2025
FAO flagship report "The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2025" provides comprehensive analysis of how human-driven land degradation impacts crop yields. It also identifies global vulnerability hotspots and examines where these losses intersect with poverty and hunger. The report outlines actionable opportunities for integrated sustainable land-use and management practices, alongside tailored policies. These measures aim to avoid, reduce, and reverse land degradation while advancing global food security goals. Read more 

FAO | Transforming Food and Agriculture through a Systems Approach
This publication by FAO highlights a significant shift in how agrifood systems are being approached globally, moving from fragmented thinking to connected action, and from systems thinking to systems doing. Countries are increasingly recognizing that their most pressing challenges in agrifood systems cannot be addressed by any single ministry, sector, or intervention alone. The document showcases practical examples of how understanding relationships and interactions is key to designing and implementing actions that lead to lasting impact. Read more 

FAO | The Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems
A new report by FAO shines light on pitfalls and prospects for 1.3 billion young people: as key agents of change, the current generation of young people must increase food production, replace an aging workforce, and adapt to increasing extreme climate events. The report examines and emphasizes the crucial role of youth in transforming agrifood systems to improve food security, nutrition, and economic opportunities. Read more

European Parliament | Climate change impacts on food security in the European Union
According to a report by the European Parliament, in a geopolitical context which temporarily affects food security, climate change remains the most common driver of food insecurity and will continue to disrupt the entire food supply chain in the long term – from production (upstream) to storage, processing and distribution (downstream). This publication looks at how climate change impacts food production in the EU, considers the socio-economic implications, and presents the EU responses with some recommendations. Read more 

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Today in the spotlight:

Organic production – targeted updates and simplification

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19 November 2025 | EESC at COP30
Defending the Right to a Healthy Environment: Voices for Climate and Justice

19 November 2025 | EESC at COP30

Ten years after the Paris Agreement: Raising the collective climate ambition as a driver for sustainable prosperity and a just transition

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