July 23rd, 2024, 2-6 pm CET online (Webex link below)
The webinar is organized by the AgLAW Research Group at Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, as part of the Research Seminars series of the SUSTAIN Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on EU actions for Sustainable Farming and Food Systems
Registration here: https://santannapisa.webex.com/weblink/register/ra30a8e7df2607dc0713e75451d66d9d8
According to Eurostat (2013), the EU encompasses around 9 million hectares of common land, which accounts for 7% of the Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA). However, due to varied methodologies and recognition issues across countries, this figure likely underestimates the actual extent. Emerging innovative commons augment existing ones, offering ecologically and socially inclusive alternatives to intensive agriculture. The core issue lies in the “invisibility” of common lands in European agricultural and environmental policies, stemming from a lack of comprehensive data. They span rural, urban, and peri-urban areas, providing resilient and culturally significant alternatives to conventional land ownership. Although their socio-environmental significance overlaps very often with protected areas, the benefits provided by these lands are not acknowledged in critical EU policies like the CAP and the EU Green Deal. A collaborative effort involving 40+ experts from more than 25 European countries, through the “Territories of Commons in Europe” network, aims to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative extent of these lands. Over three years, the network has been compiling data, employing research questions focused on land area, production, historical trends, legislative frameworks, and more. The data collection involves the gathering of quantitative and qualitative details in terms of surface, production, and population associated with common lands. This webinar will host various authors presenting the results of their research on the commons “invisible reality” from various European countries and regions. A draft of the agenda is provided (please note that slights modifications may occur):