The event will take place on:
Friday 26 June 2026
10:00 – 13:00
CSIC Office, Rue du Trône 62, 1050 Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
The Vision for Agriculture and Food highlights the need to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of European agriculture in the face of increasing climate-related challenges. It emphasises the importance of aligning agricultural systems with climate resilience, while ensuring food security, competitiveness, and the long-term viability of the sector.
In this context, livestock systems play a central role. They are both affected by climate change and contribute to it, while also providing essential economic, social and environmental functions across European territories. Addressing climate challenges in agriculture therefore requires a systemic approach, taking into account the diversity of livestock systems across Europe, their environmental performance, their role in rural economies, and their interactions with crop systems and natural resources, including the role of crop–livestock integration in enhancing sustainability and resilience. It also involves exploring a wide range of levers, from animal health and welfare, to feeding strategies, system redesign, and innovation in sustainable practices and technologies.
ESAAF brings together leading European public research institutes and universities with recognised expertise across agricultural and food systems, including livestock, and a strong record on climate-related research. Combining scientific excellence with robust applied research capacities, ESAAF is well positioned to generate integrated knowledge on both climate mitigation and adaptation, and to provide independent, evidence-based scientific input to support the design and implementation of EU policies on climate change, agriculture, and livestock systems.
Building on the active involvement of its members in a wide range of European and international research networks, ESAAF leverages this roundtable to engage with existing initiatives and networks, fostering synergies and ensuring that available scientific knowledge is effectively mobilised to support evidence-based policymaking on livestock and climate resilience.
| 10.00 – 10 :15 Opening remarks by ESAAF Board members | Ernesto Igartua Arregui, Head of Department, The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) Michal Jerzy Zasada, Rector, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS) |
| 10:15 – 10:45 Framing scientific presentation | Giuseppe Bee, Animal Task Force Vice President ATF vision for the future of sustainable livestock farming systems and the role of research |
| 10:45–11:15 The Science of Livestock and Climate Change | Functioning and performance of livestock systems: mitigation and adaptation How can livestock systems mitigate the climate change while strengthening their multi-performance and their resilience in an uncertain world? Marie Odile Nozière – INRAE Rick Obrian Hernandez Alvarado – Aarhus University Circularity What is the role of livestock in the wider food system? Simon Oosting – WUR |
| 11:15 –11:30 Coffee Break | 11:15 –11:30 Coffee Break |
| 11:30–12:00 The Science of Livestock and Climate change (continued) | Animal health, welfare and One Health in a changing climate How can we strengthen the biological resilience of livestock systems? Dr. Noemí Sevilla – CSIC Policy and economic levers to enable the transition How can we make the transition economically viable for farmers? Dominika Średnicka-Tober – WULS-SGGW |
| 12:00 – 12: 45 Panel – From Science to Policy | How can ESAAF better support the European Commission, Parliament and EBAF in shaping future EU policies on climate-resilient agriculture, including livestock systems? |
| 12: 45 – 13: 00 Wrap-up & Next Steps | Synthesis of scientific priorities and cooperation idea invitation to follow-up ESAAF |
| 13: 00 -14: 00 Lunch | 13: 00 -14: 00 Lunch |