Modelling (European) Agriculture with Climate Change for Food Security: Science-Policy Network

"MACSUR SciPolNet" is a follow-up project of the pilot project "MACSUR SciPol" and will build on previous results, continue and promote the network, deepen specific topics and create a basis for long-term exchange. The focus of the project is on building a science-policy network for evidence-based policy support of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies in the agricultural sector. The overall objective is to facilitate and improve the science-policy communication process for the strategic design of climate policy at farm level and to accelerate the implementation of climate change mitigation measures in the "FACCE-JPI" member countries. MACSUR SciPolNet thus contributes to Core Theme 1 "An agricultural sector that contributes to climate neutrality" of the FACCE-JPI strategic research agenda. At international level, climate change has increasingly come into focus, e.g. at the "COP 28" climate conference, where the Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action (COP28 UAE) was presented and has so far been signed by 159 countries. On the other hand, the protests of many farmers in Europe and other industrialised countries where agriculture plays a crucial economic role (e.g. New Zealand) show the political difficulties in implementing ambitious environmental measures. One of the main focal points of the scientific-political workshops is therefore the consideration of political realities when examining recommendations and the resulting activities. Following on the work of the MACSUR SciPol pilot project, MACSUR SciPolNet focuses on: (1) analysing and structuring science-policy communication, transnational cooperation, knowledge exchange and discussions related to climate change mitigation, (2) evaluating policies and measures aimed at reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions at farm level, with a particular focus on trade-offs and synergies between greenhouse gas reduction and other policy objectives (e.g. biodiversity, water quality), (marginal) abatement costs, global reduction targets taking into account carbon leakage effects, (3) a concept for the integration of existing models for forecasting agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.