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3 weeks ago | 
think.ing.com | Thijs Geijer |Warren Patterson
When dependencies become vulnerabilities Running a global food and agriculture business means being reliant on many things, including weather, politics, economics and technology. But with heightened geopolitical uncertainty, such dependencies are viewed in a different light. Or as former ECB President Mario Draghi put it, “dependencies are becoming vulnerabilities”. What dependencies concern companies most, and how are they responding?
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2 months ago | 
flipboard.com | Inga Fechner |Thijs Geijer
1 hour agoAs trade war tensions between the U.S. and China escalate, one of America’s most powerful exports is taking a hit — not soybeans or semiconductors, but stories. The China Film Administration announced Thursday that it would begin reducing the number of American films shown in Chinese theaters, ABC …
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2 months ago | 
think.ing.com | Inga Fechner |Thijs Geijer
The EU's Food & Agri surplus with the US is key When you look at the sheer size of the Food & Agri trade between the US and Europe, you soon realise why there's never going to be a quick fix in terms of any trade deal. And the EU’s trade surplus here is key. 12% of the EU’s food, animal, beverage, and tobacco exports were destined for the US. That’s worth €25.8bn, making the US the second largest export destination for Europe for these goods after the UK.
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Feb 20, 2025 | 
think.ing.com | Thijs Geijer
Greenhouse gas reduction targets – ambition versus reality In its long-awaited Vision on agriculture and food, the EU states that the Commission ‘expects agriculture to achieve the emission cuts in alignment with the EU's climate target for 2030’, but without mentioning the 55% target explicitly. That commitment from policymakers should comfort corporates in the food industry, given that their Scope 3 targets largely rely on progress at farm level.
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Feb 5, 2025 | 
think.ing.com | Thijs Geijer
Farmers and food security at the top of the list President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has promised that her new Commission will publish its ‘Vision on Agriculture and Food’ in its first 100 days in office, expected on 19 February. In the lead here is Christophe Hansen, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, together with Raffaele Fitto, whose portfolio includes competitiveness of the food and farming sector and the regional economy.
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Dec 6, 2024 | 
think.ing.com | Inga Fechner |Thijs Geijer |Rico Luman
Since 1999, the EU and Mercosur (comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and since 2024, Bolivia) have been negotiating a trade agreement. While an agreement in principle was reached in 2019, EU members refused to ratify the deal. Today at the Mercosur Summit in Uruguay, attended by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the agreement took a significant step closer to finally coming into effect, with both EU and Mercosur states signing the deal.
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Nov 5, 2024 | 
think.ing.com | Thijs Geijer |Marieke Blom
There are several ways to slow down biodiversity loss. Better protection of existing nature is one way to preserve species diversity. Other methods include altering production processes while maintaining the same products or opting for alternative, less harmful products, which aligns with the concept of green growth. Consuming less is also an option and is more in line with degrowth. In particular, adaptations aimed at consuming differently and less do not have to cost a lot of money.
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Oct 10, 2024 | 
think.ing.com | Thijs Geijer
Everything becomes fluid under pressure This Dutch proverb applies to the implementation date of the EU Deforestation Regulation, which was originally scheduled for the end of 2024. From that date onwards companies would have had to prove that certain commodities destined for the internal market are not connected to recent deforestation.
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Sep 25, 2024 | 
theprogressplaybook.com | Thijs Geijer
By Thijs Geijer, senior sector economist for food and agriculture at INGA rise in extreme weather events continues to hit farmers, food companies and consumers across the globe. At the same time, climate change is driving structural changes in food production and consumption. Adaptation strategies for companies are crucial, and there are valuable lessons to be learned from what’s happening in Southern Europe. In this article, we spotlight Spain, Italy and Portugal as key case studies.
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Sep 25, 2024 | 
think.ing.com | Rico Luman |Thijs Geijer
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are derived from renewable resources, like biomass, waste oils, and even algae and they offer a promising alternative to traditional jet fuels. They have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making air travel more environmentally friendly. However, the future of SAFs is fraught with challenges. High production costs, limited availability of feedstocks and the need for extensive infrastructure development are significant hurdles.
