A detailed classification and description of the different European livestock production systems (ELPS) has been conducted, building upon results from the H2020 funded Pathways project. At the same time, STEP UP has completed eight systematic literature reviews (SLRs) using the PRISMA and PICO methodologies to map and measure indicators and externalities, measuring the positive and negative (sustainability) impacts of European livestock production systems (ELPs). The eight SLR represented eight respective impact categories (IC) - 1) Economic, 2) True cost accounting (TCA), 3) Social, 4) Greenhouse gases (GHG), 5) Animal health and welfare (AHW), 6) Soil health, 7) Biodiversity, and 8) Nutritional life-cycle assessment (n-LCA). Overall, 16 externalities have been identified, and 1,517 indicators from several scientific literature databases, measuring the positive/negative social, economic, and environmental impacts of ELPS, have been mapped. Additionally, using 22 descriptive and 93 system variables across six categories (environment, governance, economy, society, science and technology, and livestock production systems), the project has identified seven distinct scenario families on the European livestock production sector.
As part of the strategies to provide an evidence base to support the sustainability transition pathways for the ELPS, case studies representing European Livestock Production Systems (ELPS) and Innovative Livestock Production Systems (ILPS) have been identified and assessed. In total, STEP UP has completed the assessment of 15 ILPS, which will serve as testbeds for evaluating the feasibility of improved and new sustainability indicators and methods —a significant step towards providing evidence for the transition pathways.
The project has completed a systematic mapping of the different functional units (FUs) used in the nutritional life cycle analysis (n-LCA) of ELPS, mapped current economic indicators measuring the impacts of ELPS, and developed 13 social impact categories relevant for EU livestock production. Fifty main biodiversity indicator categories have been identified for assessing the biodiversity impact of ELPS, and 12 most essential impact categories measuring post-farm-gate sustainability within the European food system have also been identified and are currently being developed. At the same time, the method for true cost accounting (TCA) for European livestock production has also been identified, covering externalities such as climate change, acidification, eutrophication, social, economic, and biodiversity impacts. A scientific publication featuring modelling work highlighting the importance of the production system for global warming potentials in beef systems has been published in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review.
Overall, during the first 18 months of the project, STEP UP has been implemented according to the Description of Action (DoA). Partners have actively been working on developing of one Key Exploitable Result (KER) - STEP UP Sustainability catalogue which will include an overall evidence-based group of key project results. Building on this, six test cases are being carried out to generate results for KERs, focusing on: A) animal health and welfare impacts, B) economic performance and resilience of farms, C) validation of sustainability metrics, D) integration of farm-level and national datasets, E) environmental and climate impacts of livestock systems, and F) supporting policymakers with practical tools for assessing trade-offs and synergies. The STEP UP DEC and multi-actor engagement plan has been successfully implemented. By the time of reporting, the project’s website and communication channels had reached over 15,000 of website visits, newsletters had attracted more than 440 subscribers, and the collective social media presence surpassed 750 followers. STEP UP has already contributed to 15+ public events, produced 3 practice abstracts, and published 3 scientific publications. Finally, the modelling framework, as well as the critical data needs required to simulate future scenario development, has been defined based on three models – CAPRI, AGMEMOD, and MAFSEU. The definition of a safe and just operating space (SJOS) for EU livestock production has been determined, along with a list of dimensions, indicators, and variables to consider in future work on scenario identification and assessing potential conditions for SJOS within the EU livestock sector.
