ECO-EFFICIENCY IN AGRICULTURE

Deliberation CIPE No. 57 of 2 August 2002;
Deliberation CIPE No. 108 of 22 December 2017;
Deliberation CITE No. 1 of 18 September 2023;
COM(2020) 381 final;
COM(2020) 98;
COM(2019) 640;
COM(2005) 670;
Decision No. 1386/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013;
Decision No. 2022/591/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 April 2022;
Regulation (EU) 2020/2220 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 December 2020.

The sustainable use of natural resources, both in the production and consumption phases, is a fundamental factor for long-term prosperity at national, continental, and global levels. In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), set out in the document “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” These goals, which replace and expand the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expired at the end of 2015, are valid for the 2015–2030 period. Among them are objectives related to the sustainable and efficient use of resources, such as:

• Goal 15: "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss";

• Goal 2: "End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture";

• Goal 6: "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all";

• Goal 12: "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns".

In 2022, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (K-M GBF), which sets an ambitious path to achieve the 2050 Vision of “living in harmony with nature.” The framework includes four long-term goals for 2050 and 23 action-oriented targets for 2030 aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss. This historic agreement supports the achievement of the SDGs and represents the first comprehensive global effort to ensure the stability of ecosystem services essential for human security, economic development, nature conservation, and climate change mitigation.

At the EU level, the European Green Deal [COM(2019) 640] sets out a new growth strategy that aims to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy where net greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to zero and economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The new Circular Economy Action Plan [COM(2020) 98] supports the achievement of climate neutrality by 2050 and the decoupling of economic growth from natural resource use, while ensuring long-term EU competitiveness and leaving no one behind.

The 8th Environment Action Programme to 2030 (EAP) [Decision (EU) 2022/591] aims to accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient, regenerative economy that gives back to the planet more than it takes. A new monitoring framework has been proposed to assess progress toward the goal of “living well, within the planetary boundaries.” The strategies “Farm to Fork” [COM(2020) 381] and “Biodiversity for 2030” [COM(2020) 380] establish concrete targets for the agricultural sector by 2030, including:

• dedicating at least 25% of EU agricultural land to organic farming,

• achieving a 50% reduction in the overall use and risk of chemical pesticides.

These instruments reinforce policy pathways designed to enable economic growth decoupled from environmental pressures and impacts, as already outlined in previous strategies, such as the 7th Environment Action Programme to 2020, the EU Circular Economy Package and Action Plan [COM(2015) 614], the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe [COM(2011) 571], and the updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy [COM(2018) 673].

In Italy, Law No. 221 of 28 December 2015 “Provisions on environmental matters to promote green economy measures and contain excessive use of natural resources” introduced various measures relating to nature protection, sustainable development, environmental assessments, energy, green public procurement, waste management and remediation, soil conservation, and water resources. Additionally, the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (SNSvS), approved by CIPE Deliberation No. 108/2017 and updated in 2022 (CITE Deliberation No. 1/2023), represents the first step in translating the principles and goals of the 2030 Agenda into national policies.