Structured Analysis of Livestock Farming Practices and European Green Deal Targets

The European Union (EU) Green Deal (EGD) aims to significantly transform and modernize the EU economy, while at the same time envisioning significant changes in agricultural production, especially in livestock farming. Generally, EU Member States implement specific measures that contribute to the achievement of various EGD objectives. Most often, these are part of the national strategies of the EU Common Agricultural Policy. At the same time, it is important to identify the available scientific information on measures that contribute to the achievement of the EGD goals and their various impacts. Usually, each individual measure or practice is aimed at achieving one of the ESD goals, for example, reducing GHG emissions, but in practice, these create multiple side effects that can promote or hinder the achievement of other sustainability goals. This study focuses on the livestock sector and outlines key areas where intervention must occur: feeding, housing, grassland/pasture management, manure management, breeding and genetics—these factors interact and contribute to the achievement of EGD targets. At the same time, this research takes a holistic view of the EGD demands on livestock. In this study, the authors use pictograms and a color-coding system that broadens the scope of impact communication. It translates complex, scientific data into a format that is accessible and easily understood by a wider audience. The results of this study reveal that systematic research is needed to examine livestock farming measures that could change agricultural policies in the long term—from supporting existing measures to creating appropriate sustainable farming systems.