Two new articles on how EU citizens perceive agricultural policy and the role of farmers in the face of climate change

Jale Tosun and Simon Schaub published two Open Access articles on how EU citizens perceive agricultural policy and the responsibility of farmers in addressing climate change and environmental degradation.

​The first article - published in Political Studies Review - examines how Europeans living in rural and urban areas perceive the goals of the EU’s agricultural policy and identifies a rural-urban divide. In rural areas, people prioritize an agricultural policy that supports economic growth, job creation, and secures a fair income for farmers. They are less supportive of integrating "green" measures into agricultural policy.

 In urban and peri-urban areas, citizens are more likely to support environmental and climate measures as key goals of agricultural policy. The results suggest that agricultural policies evoke different reactions depending on the perceived costs and benefits linked to the place of residence. ​

​The second article - published in the Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences - looks at how Europeans attribute responsibility for addressing climate change and environmental degradation to farmers. The article shows that people who perceive agriculture as a significant cause of climate and environmental issues are also more likely to see farmers as having a primary role in addressing climate change and environmental degradation. There is also an ideological divide, with left-leaning individuals more likely to hold farmers responsible for climate action than right-leaning individuals. This divide is particularly pronounced in countries where agrarian or ecological parties are represented in parliament, suggesting that party polarization on environmental policy reinforces the public left-right divide on climate and environmental protection (or vice versa).

​The extent to which EU citizens hold farmers responsible also varies between EU countries. For instance, respondents in Denmark and the Netherlands show a high level of attribution of responsibility to farmers, reflecting a strong public discourse on sustainable agriculture. Conversely, Central and Eastern European countries display lower attribution levels, possibly due to different economic priorities and lower levels of environmental activism.

Taken together, these studies highlight the challenges of harmonizing agricultural policy and environmental goals in the EU. Both the ideological and the urban–rural divides underscore the tension between agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. The results emphasize the importance of balancing economic resilience as well as climate and environmental goals in the agricultural sector. Policymakers are encouraged to consider the rural-urban divide and to adopt place-sensitive communication strategies to foster acceptance of climate- and environment-friendly agricultural reforms.

References:
Tosun, J., Schaub, S., & Marek, C. (2024). 'Europeans’ attitudes toward the goals of agricultural policy: a case of rural–urban divide?'. Political Studies Review, 22(1), 174-192. https://doi.org/10.1177/14789299221149505

Tosun, J., Schaub, S., Marek, C., Kellermann, L., & Koch, M. A. (2024). 'Attributing responsibility to farmers for environmental protection and climate action: insights from the European Union'. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-024-00981-7