This week, the Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (NAT) Section of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) hosted its end-of-mandate debate. NAT members, experts and youth leaders came together to reflect on the legacy of the outgoing mandate, and to chart pathways for Europe in a shifting geopolitical order. The upcoming five years, which define the new NAT Section mandate, will also be a decisive period for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing sustainability transformations across food systems, rural areas and climate action.

Addressing the triple planetary crisis through wellbeing and just transition

A central theme was the need to move away from growth-only metrics. Professor Enrico Giovannini urged Europe to measure progress through wellbeing, not just GDP, while Judit Carreras Garcia of Spain’s Institute for Just Transition warned that the costs of inaction are already immense. Climate disasters in Spain alone - from wildfires to floods - have caused €32 billion in damages over five years, equivalent to the country’s entire education budget.

Youth voices brought urgency to the debate. Assia Oulkadi of the European Youth Forum and Agata Meysner of Generation Climate Europe highlighted widespread frustration that young people are sidelined in EU policymaking. They stressed that underperformance on issues like precarious employment and mental health risks erode trust. Meysner reminded participants that “hope is a muscle” that must be exercised through concrete intergenerational action.

Building sustainable food systems and thriving rural areas

Discussion also turned to Europe’s food and farming future. Professor Tim Lang called for a systemic food policy that links health, environment and economics, while Marta Messa of Slow Food warned that current systems reward environmental pollution over protection. Rural leaders stressed the urgency of bridging the rural-urban divide and ensuring fair conditions for farmers facing global competition and land-use pressures.

Looking ahead

Incoming NAT president Stoyan Tchoukanov pledged to carry these concerns into the Section’s new mandate, ensuring civil society perspectives guide Europe’s pursuit of a sustainable and fair future.