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How did Europe get to the point of tractor blockades? - we asked Ottó Toldi, Head of Research at the MCC Climate Policy Institute and András Hajdú, Research Lecturer at School of Social Sciences and History. Some people think it is purely political, but it is a much more structured and complex story.
Ottó Toldi coined the concept of the "agricultural paradox" - and here we find the answer - which points to the problem that agriculture, while trying to be independent from the effects of climate change, increases greenhouse gas emissions. The use of irrigation systems and chemical products is energy intensive and there is no technology that can sustainably increase production without increasing emissions. And for farmers, who are subject to emission reduction targets, there is no alternative to current technologies, which makes them unable to do so. The restructuring of agriculture and the shortcomings of the support system have led to the disappearance of a third of European farms between 2005 and 2021.
"It is an economic paradox that the technologies to replace the current ones are not even on the drawing board. The consequence of this is that if we force farmers to reduce emissions, we can't tell them, 'don't use this technology, here's this one instead'. Although this technology may be more expensive, in the end you get a return on your investment because your farm will be sustainable. But we cannot say that. There is no other technology to use instead," Toldi explained.
András Hajdú also pointed out the complexity of the problem, as in addition to the economic paradox, social transformation and related political processes also need to be assessed. He highlighted the growing tensions between urban and rural populations, which are leading to political conflicts. At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of the world's population lives in cities (more than 70% of Europe's population!) and this different environment has distanced urban and rural communities. For urban dwellers, agriculture is only a source of products, while farmers face real production challenges. This alienation also leads to conflicts at the political level, especially as rural areas also fare differently - economically successful regions have better advocacy capacity, while peripheral regions are at a disadvantage.
"Rural areas are not homogeneous, even if they are urban-dominated, and those that are economically prosperous have different characteristics and advocacy capacities. A rural area that is a prime tourist area or is successful for some reason has a completely different way of asserting its interests, and the people living there have completely different opportunities than a peripheral area, which is economically, socially and politically disadvantaged compared to urban areas," said Hajdú.
A sustainable transition needs to be diversified, thoughtful and flexible. There is no single solution for all situations, especially if we want to achieve long-term goals.
"EU support for agriculture, the internal structure of agriculture, energy supply are issues that should not be planned and implemented in a single way by people with no experience or interest in the field, but can be helped by a more considered and, where appropriate, rethought process," András concluded.
