Main stories

Steering the ARC through 2024’s Rough Waters

In the wise words of American writer William Arthur Ward, a pessimist complains about the wind; an optimist expects it to change; a realist adjusts the sails – and ARC2024 plans to stay on course with compassion for people and nature in this new year. What might the coming year bring? It looks like rough waters lie ahead, which means reefing sails and riding high into the wind – but, of course, there will also be sunnier patches to enjoy along the way. ARC’s Hannes Lorenzen sets out what he sees in store for 2024.  […]

Latest from EU Member States

Beer farmers – a Fair Deal for a Good Drink

Belgium is famous for beer. However, that beer is a fast brew with almost no ingredients from Belgium. – and its brewed within six weeks. Traditional Belgian beer like Lambic and Geuze needs up to three years to mature. Yes, that is a long time, but there is a good reason for slowing down a bit. Meet the folks doing just that. […]

Latest from EU Member States

Compassion for Future at Latvian Rural Communities Parliament

Mid-June 2023 the 6th Latvian Rural Communities Parliament took place in the town of Ērgļi. ARC President Hannes Lorenzen was asked to share his views on the past, the challenges of today, and ideas for the future. In this excerpt from the speech he gave, Hannes reflects on how three key ideas – Intergenerational Responsibility, Reduction (or Sufficiency) and Rural Resilience – can frame action for radical change […]

Rural Resilience

« La PAC est une aberration en regard de l’impact climatique et environnemental de l’agriculture »

Samedi le 25 février, le Salon de l’Agriculture démarre à Paris. Au-dessous un maquillage de paysannerie idéalisée, aucun signe de changement chez l’industrie agro-alimentaire. Tout comme pour la nouvelle PAC, qui maintient les pratiques agricoles non durables tout en affaiblissant la cohésion européenne. « L’agriculture du carbone », avancée comme voie vertueuse, ne changera rien sur le fond. C’est trop peu, trop tard, insiste Hannes Lorenzen, président de l’association ARC2020, lors d’une tribune pour Le Monde. […]

Latest from Brussels

“CAP is an Aberration in terms of Climate & Environmental Impact of Ag”

This weekend the Salon de l’Agriculture kicked off in Paris. Beyond the romanticised picture of farming presented at big agri-food fairs like this, the food and farming system shows no sign of change. So it is with the new CAP, which locks in unsustainable agricultural practices while eroding European cohesion. Carbon farming, offered as a solution, will change nothing in substance. Plus ça change, argues ARC2020 President Hannes Lorenzen in an Op-Ed for Le Monde. […]

Latest from the ARC network

Passing of Michael Dower, a European Englishman

Michael Dower has sadly passed away. Co-founder of the European AgriCultural Convention (EAC), which later became ARC2020, Michael stood staunchly for rural Europe, democracy, inclusion, and taking action now. His retirement marked the beginning of a fruitful career as a European convener, co-founding PREPARE and a number of other networks that punched well above their weight. Hannes Lorenzen remembers a European Englishman and friend. […]

Latest from the ARC network

Rural Europe Takes Action – Book Launch and Draft EU-Regulation

On June 7 ARC2020 and Forum Synergies launch a new book titled “Rural Europe Takes Action – No more business as usual” which reveals the power of European civil society and the collective intelligence and imagination of numerous rural experts, policy makers and practitioners. The book includes an ‘Unwritten Regulation on an Integrated European Rural, Agricultural and Food Policy’ as an alternative to continue or replace the CAP by 2028. Hannes Lorenzen explains why it’s high time for a new integrated policy framework for rural territories and their people. […]

Main stories

West Balkans – Accession, Agriculture and a Greener Agenda

War in Ukraine has sharpened the EU’s focus on food security, farm and trade policies and the EU Green Deal. This war has also spotlighted progressive engagement with the Western Balkans, a region with its own simmering political tensions not unrelated to the wider conflict. Agricultural ministers meet this week to engage, to connect to EU institutions, but also to help lead on a greener farming agenda for Europe. Hannes Lorenzen, who participated in the meeting, has more. […]

Rural Resilience

Extrait de livre | Survivre en dessous du niveau de la mer

Inutile de vivre sur une île située au-dessous du niveau de la mer pour comprendre que le changement climatique et l’élévation du niveau des mers vont vous changer la vie. Toutefois, les conflits croissants entre ‘le statu quo’ et la nature menacée apparaissent plus nettement dans un petit endroit reculé comme Pellworm. Les relations conflictuelles entre l’homme et la nature y sont plus perceptibles ; les limites imposées aux ressources et aux entreprises, plus coûteuses. Dans cet extrait du livre, Hannes LORENZEN, président de l‘association ARC2020, raconte l‘histoire de son île natale, un territoire fort en résilience.  […]

Latest from EU Member States

Germany | Surviving Below Sea Level

How does a rural community plan for the future when it is literally living below sea level? In this excerpt from the book “Rural Europe on the Move: A travel guide to transitions”, Hannes Lorenzen shares the story of his home island of Pellworm on Germany’s North Frisian coast, where the community has come together in the face of climate change, rising sea levels, and other threats to its survival. […]

Latest from EU Member States

France | Building Rural Resilience From The Ground Up

ARC2020 is launching a new project in France to build rural resilience from the ground up. It’s called “Nos Campagnes En Résilience”. The goal is to empower rural communities to realise their own fair and socio-ecological transitions, by connecting and supporting the many exciting initiatives that are emerging on the ground. Why France? And why now? Hannes Lorenzen explains. […]