Tesi etd-12022024-171648
Link copiato negli appunti
Tipo di tesi
Dottorato
Autore
MEZZACAPO, ENRICO
URN
etd-12022024-171648
Titolo
Fostering the process for ecosystem’s recovery: the role of ecological restoration in enhancing the EU sustainable agri-food system transition
Settore scientifico disciplinare
IUS/03
Corso di studi
Istituto di Diritto, Politica e Sviluppo - PHD IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND GLOBAL POLITICS: LEGAL, PHILOSOPHICAL, AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES - PON
Commissione
relatore Prof.ssa ALABRESE, MARIAGRAZIA
Parole chiave
- Nessuna parola chiave trovata
Data inizio appello
03/10/2025;
Disponibilità
parziale
Riassunto analitico
The thesis explores the potential of ecological restoration as a transformative legal and policy tool to address the shortcomings of the past EU conservation regime and enhance the transition to sustainable agri-food systems. The analysis is structured into 3 main chapters:
The first chapter aims to establish a foundational understanding of ecological restoration within the context of the agri-food sector. It begins by framing the poly-crisis of the global food system, analyzing the pressing need for restoration in the agri-food ecosystems, situating this urgency within the context of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. It delves into the sector’s role as a major driver of habitat loss and environmental disruption, analyzing how agri-food production contributes to these crises. Building on this foundation, the chapter presents a taxonomy of ecological restoration, delving into its legal, ecological, and practical dimensions to clarify its scope and relevance and to understand it's evolution through time. Finally, the chapter examines the international legal evolution of ecological restoration in soft law instruments and in international convention. This section considers the broader legal implications of restoration for the international community and in relation to the agri-food ecosystems, emphasizing the interconnected environmental, social, and economic benefits that restoration efforts can achieve within this critical sector.
The second chapter aims to critically examine the integration and role of ecological restoration within the European Union legal and policy frameworks governing agri-food ecosystems, focusing on their contribution to the agri-food production. The chapter maps how ecological restoration is embedded across key policy and legal instruments related to agri-food production, assessing their field of application, synergies with other instruments, strengths, limitations, and alignment with broader restoration objectives. The discussion begins with an overview of the policy framework driving the transition to sustainable food systems post-Green Deal, analyzing flagship initiatives such as the Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the Soil Strategy, and the Farm to Fork Strategy. These strategies are evaluated for their emphasis as a tool for the recovery biodiversity, soil health, and sustainable food production goals. The chapter then turns to the current nature conservation framework, examining pivotal instruments such as the Habitats and Birds Directives, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the Water Framework Directive, to understand their restoration mandates and implications for agri-food systems. A dedicated section explores the newly adopted Nature Restoration Law, critically assessing its potential to bridge gaps in existing frameworks while aligning with international commitments to biodiversity and ecosystem restoration. This is complemented by an analysis of sector-specific frameworks, including the Common Agricultural Policy, which is scrutinized for its role in promoting or hindering restoration efforts in agricultural ecosystems. Additional thematic areas include the regulatory frameworks for pesticides and fertilizers, pollinators, invasive alien species, and soil protection, as well as the evolving legal framework addressing deforestation-free products. These are analyzed to identify synergies and conflicts with restoration principles, drawing on the restoration features outlined in the preceding chapter. The chapter concludes with a critical synthesis, presented in a structured grid, which evaluates these instruments against the ecological restoration taxonomy developed earlier.
In the third and last chapter, this evaluation highlights gaps and opportunities for enhancing the coherence, effectiveness, and resilience of legal and policy tools in addressing the restoration needs of the European Union’s transition towards sustainable food systems. The chapter explores how the Nature Restoration Law Proposal, could represent a de facto paradigm shift from historical conservation-focused approaches. While acknowledging the progressive ambitions of this regulation, it critically examines the persistent issues and gaps in achieving transformative change. The chapter also addresses the political obstacles to restoring agri-food systems, highlighting the resistance and policy incoherence that hinder effective implementation. It advocates for a systematic and coherent integration of restoration efforts across various legal instruments, ensuring that measures are not only aspirational but operationally robust. Furthermore, the discussion includes a reflection on the unintended consequences of restoration efforts, such as failed projects, to underscore the importance of adaptive and scientifically informed approaches. Special attention is given to the EU’s externalization of environmental costs through agri-food input delocalization, critiquing how this practice undermines restoration and ecological integrity both within and beyond EU borders. Lastly, the chapter engages again the possible evolution of ecological restoration as a legal principle from a post-crisis remedy to a prevention restoration approach. These principles are evaluated for their potential to ensure accountability, foster ecological resilience, and align with the EU’s broader environmental and food system transformation goals.
The first chapter aims to establish a foundational understanding of ecological restoration within the context of the agri-food sector. It begins by framing the poly-crisis of the global food system, analyzing the pressing need for restoration in the agri-food ecosystems, situating this urgency within the context of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. It delves into the sector’s role as a major driver of habitat loss and environmental disruption, analyzing how agri-food production contributes to these crises. Building on this foundation, the chapter presents a taxonomy of ecological restoration, delving into its legal, ecological, and practical dimensions to clarify its scope and relevance and to understand it's evolution through time. Finally, the chapter examines the international legal evolution of ecological restoration in soft law instruments and in international convention. This section considers the broader legal implications of restoration for the international community and in relation to the agri-food ecosystems, emphasizing the interconnected environmental, social, and economic benefits that restoration efforts can achieve within this critical sector.
The second chapter aims to critically examine the integration and role of ecological restoration within the European Union legal and policy frameworks governing agri-food ecosystems, focusing on their contribution to the agri-food production. The chapter maps how ecological restoration is embedded across key policy and legal instruments related to agri-food production, assessing their field of application, synergies with other instruments, strengths, limitations, and alignment with broader restoration objectives. The discussion begins with an overview of the policy framework driving the transition to sustainable food systems post-Green Deal, analyzing flagship initiatives such as the Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the Soil Strategy, and the Farm to Fork Strategy. These strategies are evaluated for their emphasis as a tool for the recovery biodiversity, soil health, and sustainable food production goals. The chapter then turns to the current nature conservation framework, examining pivotal instruments such as the Habitats and Birds Directives, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the Water Framework Directive, to understand their restoration mandates and implications for agri-food systems. A dedicated section explores the newly adopted Nature Restoration Law, critically assessing its potential to bridge gaps in existing frameworks while aligning with international commitments to biodiversity and ecosystem restoration. This is complemented by an analysis of sector-specific frameworks, including the Common Agricultural Policy, which is scrutinized for its role in promoting or hindering restoration efforts in agricultural ecosystems. Additional thematic areas include the regulatory frameworks for pesticides and fertilizers, pollinators, invasive alien species, and soil protection, as well as the evolving legal framework addressing deforestation-free products. These are analyzed to identify synergies and conflicts with restoration principles, drawing on the restoration features outlined in the preceding chapter. The chapter concludes with a critical synthesis, presented in a structured grid, which evaluates these instruments against the ecological restoration taxonomy developed earlier.
In the third and last chapter, this evaluation highlights gaps and opportunities for enhancing the coherence, effectiveness, and resilience of legal and policy tools in addressing the restoration needs of the European Union’s transition towards sustainable food systems. The chapter explores how the Nature Restoration Law Proposal, could represent a de facto paradigm shift from historical conservation-focused approaches. While acknowledging the progressive ambitions of this regulation, it critically examines the persistent issues and gaps in achieving transformative change. The chapter also addresses the political obstacles to restoring agri-food systems, highlighting the resistance and policy incoherence that hinder effective implementation. It advocates for a systematic and coherent integration of restoration efforts across various legal instruments, ensuring that measures are not only aspirational but operationally robust. Furthermore, the discussion includes a reflection on the unintended consequences of restoration efforts, such as failed projects, to underscore the importance of adaptive and scientifically informed approaches. Special attention is given to the EU’s externalization of environmental costs through agri-food input delocalization, critiquing how this practice undermines restoration and ecological integrity both within and beyond EU borders. Lastly, the chapter engages again the possible evolution of ecological restoration as a legal principle from a post-crisis remedy to a prevention restoration approach. These principles are evaluated for their potential to ensure accountability, foster ecological resilience, and align with the EU’s broader environmental and food system transformation goals.
File
| Nome file | Dimensione |
|---|---|
Ci sono 1 file riservati su richiesta dell'autore. |
|