The “Living-Labs for Mitigating Climate Change in Agriculture” is organised by CONCAT Living Lab, EcoReady, PRIMED, REFOREST, and the Interreg Euro-MED Innovative Sustainable Economy Mission, with the support of Generalitat de Catalunya, IRTA, Naked Innovations, FCAC, Xarxa Agritech, BETA TC (UVIC-UCC), Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA) and BioHubCat.
The event will take place on 24 & 25 April 2025, at Espai Bital, Barcelona, Spain
Context and Purpose
The EU’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050 places agriculture and food systems at the center of the transition. While these sectors are vital for food security, they also contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, making climate action in agriculture essential. At the same time, rising temperatures, water scarcity, and extreme weather—especially in the Mediterranean—are already threatening productivity and rural livelihoods. Tackling these challenges requires innovative and collaborative approaches. Living Labs, which bring together researchers, policymakers, businesses, and citizens, provide a dynamic framework to co-develop, test, and scale climate-resilient solutions.
This 2 day conference brings together entities and organisations from across the EU and the Mediterranean working with systemic and living lab approaches in Europe to:
- Maximise the contribution of the agri-food sector to climate mitigation.
- Reinforce the role of Living Labs as drivers of impactful change.
- Strengthen collaboration to accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions.
- Lay the groundwork for a network of transformative Living Labs.
Expected Participants
Established European Living Labs for agriculture, R&D and technology institutions focused on climate resilience and mitigation, Researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and other actors working with systemic and living lab approaches on climate resilience and mitigation in agro-food.
Working groups and dynamics
Participants will engage in four specialised Working Groups (WGs), each focusing on a key aspect of climate resilience in agriculture and food systems. These groups will facilitate in-depth discussions, knowledge exchange, and co-develop solutions.
WG1: Regenerative Agriculture & Climate-Resilient Landscapes
Advancing regenerative farming practices to restore soil health, enhance biodiversity, and improve climate resilience. Focus areas include carbon sequestration, climate-adaptive land management, and policy incentives that promote sustainable agriculture.
WG2: Water Security & Adaptive Strategies
Sustainable water management solutions in face of intensifying water scarcity and extreme weather. Focus areas include climate-smart irrigation, water retention, drought adaptation strategies, and governance frameworks for equitable water use.
WG3: Nature-Based Solutions & Ecosystem Restoration
How nature-based solutions (NbS) can drive climate adaptation and ecosystem restoration. Focus areas include biodiversity-driven land use, agroforestry, carbon farming, and NbS for flood and coastal resilience to strengthen climate mitigation efforts.
WG4: Climate-Smart Food Systems, Circular Bioeconomy & Market Transitions
Low-emission supply chains, circular bioeconomy approaches, and just market transitions. Focus areas include sustainable models, biowaste valorisation, emissions reduction strategies, and building resilient, climate-smart, and sustainable food networks.
Each Working Group will play a crucial role in shaping actionable strategies and fostering cross-sector collaboration.
- Maximise the contribution of the agri-food sector to climate mitigation through systemic approaches.
- Strengthen connections among stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions.
- Highlight and reinforce the role of Living Labs as drivers of localised, impactful change.
- Lay the groundwork for a Mediterranean network of transformative Living Labs to tackle shared climate challenges