Summary of the 2026 LAMASUS, BrightSpace & Tools4CAP summer school

June 8-12, 2026

Researchers, students, and experts from across Europe gathered at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) for the 2026 LAMASUS–BrightSpace–Tools4CAP Summer School. Over five intensive days, participants explored state-of-the-art approaches to land-use modelling, agricultural policy analysis, climate scenarios, biodiversity assessments, and decision-support tools, while gaining hands-on experience with the datasets and platforms developed within the three Horizon Europe projects.

The programme combined lectures from leading experts, practical exercises, collaborative group work, and networking opportunities, providing participants with a comprehensive overview of how data, models, and policy analysis can be combined to support sustainable land management across Europe.

Day 1: Setting the Scene – Land Use, Policy and Data

The Summer School opened with welcome remarks from Petr Havlík (LAMASUS Principal Scientist) and an introduction to the objectives of the week. The session continued with an overview of the LAMASUS project by Tam´s Krisztin (LAMASUS Scientific Coordinator) highlighting its goals, key outputs, and contributions to supporting evidence-based decision-making. A keynote session by Tassos Haniotis (Policy Advisory Board) on the future of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) explored the policy challenges facing European agriculture in a rapidly changing environmental, economic, and geopolitical landscape.

In the afternoon, participants presented their research during a poster session, creating opportunities for discussion and networking. Technical sessions led by Linda See (senior researcher) then focused on the LAMASUS Land Use and Management (LUM) Geodatabase, providing insights into how harmonised land-use and management information is generated and made accessible. The day concluded with an introduction to the IIASA Accelerator and the digital tools participants would use throughout the week, including the LAMASUS Data Explorer and Jupyter-based analysis environments.

Day 2: Understanding Integrated Assessment Modelling with GLOBIOM

The second day focused on integrated assessment modelling and the role of quantitative tools in supporting agricultural and climate policy.

Marc Müller (Brightspace coordinator) introduced the BrightSpace project and its vision for supporting sustainable land-use transitions. This was followed by a series of sessions dedicated to GLOBIOM, the Global Biosphere Management Model developed at IIASA. Experts presented the foundations of economic modelling for policy support, the structure and functionality of GLOBIOM, and its extensive applications in assessing land-use, agricultural, and climate policies. Further sessions explored how GLOBIOM contributes to international climate scenario development and European policy processes. Participants examined the drivers behind future land-use scenarios and were introduced to the comprehensive scenario framework developed within LAMASUS.

The day concluded with interactive group exercises using the IIASA Accelerator platform. Working with real model outputs, participants explored scenario results, developed visualisations, and discussed the implications of alternative future pathways for land use and agriculture.

Day 3: From Global Scenarios to Local Insights

Building on the previous day’s modelling foundations, Day 3 focused on translating large-scale scenario outputs into detailed, spatially explicit insights. Sessions introduced econometric approaches for land-use change modelling and demonstrated how integrated assessment model outputs can be downscaled to better understand regional and local impacts. Participants learned how econometric methods can help bridge the gap between global policy scenarios and real-world land-use dynamics, including practical examples using statistical modelling workflows. The programme also examined scenario design and policy analysis, encouraging participants to consider how different policy choices and assumptions influence future outcomes. In the afternoon, attention turned to production costs and their representation within modelling frameworks. Participants explored methodologies for estimating agricultural production costs using farm-level data and discussed key challenges associated with integrating economic and biophysical information. The day concluded with a hands-on exercise using the Accelerator and Data Explorer platforms, allowing participants to analyse high-resolution scenario results and apply newly acquired skills to practical case studies.

Day 4: Policy Applications and Collaborative Learning

The fourth day highlighted how modelling tools can support the design, implementation, and evaluation of agricultural policies. Bérénice Dupeux (Tools4CAP coordinator) and Juliana Arbelaez-Gaviria (Tools4CAP) introduced the Tools4CAP project and its efforts to improve the evidence base for CAP decision-making. A dedicated case study focusing on the Czech Republic provided an opportunity to examine how policy scenarios can be developed and assessed in a real-world context.

The day was devoted to collaborative group work, where participants continued exploring GLOBIOM-based scenarios and refining their analyses. These sessions encouraged teamwork, critical thinking, and the interpretation of complex modelling results. In the afternoon, participants presented thematic case studies developed throughout the week. The presentations showcased a wide range of perspectives and demonstrated how the methods, datasets, and tools introduced during the Summer School can be applied to address pressing challenges related to agriculture, land use, and sustainability.

Day 5: Biodiversity, Biophysical Modelling and Looking Ahead

The final day focused on biophysical modelling and biodiversity, two critical dimensions of sustainable land management. Participants were introduced to the EPIC-IIASA modelling framework and learned how biophysical models can be used to assess agricultural responses to different management practices and climate scenarios across Europe. Practical sessions covered Python, Jupyter notebooks, and data analysis techniques, providing participants with additional tools for working with large-scale environmental datasets.

The afternoon explored biodiversity assessment methods and indicators developed within LAMASUS. Participants examined biodiversity outcomes under different land-use scenarios and discussed how modelling results can help support environmental policy objectives alongside agricultural production goals.

The Summer School concluded with a summary of the week’s key lessons and reflections from participants and organisers. Over five days, attendees gained valuable experience working with cutting-edge datasets, modelling frameworks, and analytical tools, while building connections across disciplines and institutions.

LAMASUS webinar in the frame of the EU Green week

On June 17, 2026, LAMASUS participated in the EUGreenWeek partner event on “Investing in Nature through Farming: Policy Pathways for the Future CAP?” organised by IUCN European Regional Office.

Jonathan Doelman, researcher land use and climate at Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving (PBL) presented LAMASUS scenarios for sustainable land management in a session dedicated to “Exploring Sustainable Agriculture Pathways: Insights from Economic Models”.

This was be followed by a session titled “From Research to Policy: Translating Evidence into Nature Positive Agricultural Policies”, where Jonathan exchanged with speakers from the European Commission DG Agri and IUCN European Regional Office.

Updates to the Land Use Management (LUM) Geodatabase

A new deliverable provides an update to the land-use management (LUM) Geodatabase.

The key features of this update include:

• Modifications to the cropland management classes (i) to improve the arable and permanent irrigated cropland management class with better information on irrigation, and (ii) to refine the extensive arable cropland management class using the latest maps on temporary grassland, which indicate more extensive practices;
• Division of the four managed pasture and four managed grassland classes into two sub-classes each: one without mowing and one with mowing, thereby providing additional grassland management information;
• Addition of more accurate and up-to-date information on wetlands, which have been comprehensively mapped as part of the new European Wetland Map.

Summary of the LAMASUS Policy Advisory Board meeting – 29 April 2026

The meeting focused on the  progress of the last 6 months, overview of the months ahead and LAMASUS scenarios.

Petr Havlík (IIASA, Principal Investigator) and Tamás Krisztin (IIASA, Scientific Coordinator) presented the main outcomes of the 4th stakeholder board workshop and key policy events LAMASUS attended in the las months, including the clustering workshop “Models and tools supporting agricultural policies: a Horizon update” at the European Commission, the 60th FADN conference, the joint baseline paper with BrightSpace project and the EAERE conference 2025. Results from recent deliverables D2.2 Protocol for updating the LUM Geodatabase, and future policy briefs and white papers were discussed. Jonathan Doelman (PBL, WP8 lead) also provided a comprehensive overview of the LAMASUS scenarios.

Rethinking Farming on Peatlands: Insights from the LAMASUS Roadshow in the Netherlands

On April 10, 2026, stakeholders from across the agricultural and policy landscape gathered in Breukelen, the Netherlands, for a LAMASUS roadshow focused on the future of farming in peatland areas. Bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, the event explored a central question: how can agriculture on low-productivity soils remain economically viable while contributing to climate and environmental goals? Peatlands play a crucial role in carbon storage, but when drained for agriculture, they become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, they are deeply embedded in food production systems. In the Netherlands, for example, around 20% of intensive dairy farming takes place on peat soils. Balancing these environmental and economic realities is therefore a key challenge.

Modelling the transition: trade-offs between productivity and sustainability

During the roadshow, LAMASUS partner WUR presented insights from modelling work, which combines historical data, policy analysis, and simulation tools to explore how land use and agriculture may evolve up to 2050. Two contrasting policy pathways framed the discussion: one on maintaining productivity, with limited additional environmental constraints; the other on strong environmental ambition, aligned with the EU Green Deal, biodiversity targets, and large-scale peatland restoration. These scenarios illustrate how different policy choices can significantly influence both land use and farm structures. The results point to a gradual transformation of peatland agriculture: grassland areas are expected to decline under all scenarios, particularly where environmental ambitions are highest. At the same time, dairy cow numbers remain relatively stable, suggesting that farms may adapt through intensification or structural changes rather than reducing production altogether.

The economic reality for farmers

While environmental benefits are clear, the economic implications for farmers are complex. Raising groundwater levels, a key measure for reducing emissions, leads to lower grassland productivity. This can increase reliance on feed imports and put pressure on farm income. Although policy payments are available to support this transition, they are often temporary. The analysis presented during the roadshow assumes that additional payments end after 2028. Under these conditions, farm incomes decline over time, as lower productivity and higher input needs begin to outweigh the benefits of subsidies. This raises important questions about the long-term design of policy support. Short-term compensation may help initiate change, but sustained economic viability will likely require more stable incentives, new business models, or alternative revenue streams. At the same time, collaboration is emerging as a key part of the solution. In the Netherlands, for instance, subsidies encourage farmers to work together on water management at landscape scale, helping to raise groundwater levels more effectively and reduce emissions across entire peatland areas.

Looking ahead

The LAMASUS roadshow in Breukelen highlighted that the transition to sustainable peatland agriculture is not just a technical challenge, but a systemic one. It involves rethinking how land is used, how farmers are supported, and how environmental goals are integrated into economic realities. By combining modelling insights with stakeholder dialogue, LAMASUS is helping to shape a more informed debate about the future of agriculture in Europe. The path forward will depend on finding the right balance between productivity and sustainability, short-term support and long-term resilience, and local action and European ambition.

Third roadshow event: Managing nutrients in intensive livestock production – Lessons from Norway

On March 3, 2026, the third event of the LAMASUS roadshow titled “Managing nutrients in intensive livestock production” was organized by project partners at Ruralis.

The event gathered about 30 participants, representatives of farmers, dairy cooperative, meat cooperative, grain cooperative, extension service, county governor, a private bank, and farmer organizations.

Participants discussed the management of nutrients in intensive livestock productions, with a focus on the specificities of Norway and evolution of livestock/cereal regions since the 1950’s.

Starting point: the long shadow of policies

Modern livestock production is often presented as a story of efficiency, but it comes with a hidden cost: it can weaken the natural link between crop farming and animal farming. As agriculture becomes more specialized, nutrients no longer circulate within the same local system. Instead, feed is produced in one place, animals are raised in another, and manure accumulates far from the land that could use it most productively.

Focus on the Norway use-case

Norway illustrates this dynamic well: over the second half of the 20th century, agricultural policy encouraged a separation between grain production and livestock farming. Eastern Norway, with its fertile soils, became increasingly focused on cereals, while livestock production was concentrated in other regions. This created a one-way nutrient flow: feed moved into livestock areas, but the nutrients embedded in manure did not return in the same way to the cereal-producing land. The result is a structural imbalance, with environmental pressure building in livestock-dense regions while crop regions lose an important source of fertility.

Learnings, discussions and future directions

The broader lesson is that agricultural sustainability cannot be measured by production alone. The Norway case suggests that when farming systems are reorganized for specialization, they may become economically efficient while also becoming ecologically fragmented. Looking ahead, a more circular approach should be favoured, in which nutrient management is treated as a system-wide challenge, reconnecting livestock and crop production so that environmental stewardship becomes part of agricultural planning rather than an afterthought.

Participants also had the opportunity to discuss the LAMASUS Dashboard and tools and their implementation in practice.

Final LAMASUS Stakeholder Board workshop: impressions

5-6 March 2026

The final LAMASUS stakeholder board workshop took place on March 5-6, 2026 at the European Research Executive Agency (REA) in Brussels, to discuss the future of EU land-use and climate policies. Stakeholders from 10 European countries and project partners attendeed the event and reflected on:

• scenario results
• findings from case-studies and roadshows
• recent changes in land-use policies in the EU
• new and ongoing reform process in the EU

Day 1 (March 5, 2026)

After a welcome talk by Petr Havlik (IIASA, LAMASUS Principal Investigator), sharing recent highlights of the project and aims of the workshop, Barthelemy Lanos from the European Commission presented updates on the coming agricultural policy reforms in the EU.

Jonathan Doelman (PBL) presented the EU-wide scenarios of LAMASUS, preparing for discussion in the first breakout session, which were focused on the LAMASUS stakeholder declaration on land use policies in Europe.

Photo: LAMASUS stakeholder board.

Day 2 (March 6, 2026):

Stakeholders and project partners discussed the outcomes of the LAMASUS roadshow events and case studies, with presentations from Claudia Magnapera (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences) on the German use-case, Emilien Veron (INRAE, Université Paris-Saclay) on the French roadshow event, Klaus Mittenzwei (Ruralis) reporting on the roadshow event in Norway, Walter Rossi Cervi (Wageningen University & Research) on the Netherlands case-study.

Following the sessions on Day 1, discussions led by Franz Sinabell (WIFO) and Nico Polman (Wageningen University & Research) about the work towards the LAMASUS declaration on land-use policies continued.

In a second breakout session, participants brainstormed on what does it mean to successfully deliver land use policies for the next CAP, focusing on 3 pillars:
-Agricultural policy
-Nature conservation/restauration policy
-Forest policy

The day ended with a definition of the next steps to deliver the LAMASUS vision.

Photos: Claudia Magnapera (Zurich University of Applied Sciences), Emilien Veron (INRAE, Université Paris-Saclay), reporting on the French roadshow event, Klaus Mittenzwei (Ruralis), Walter Rossi Cervi (Wageningen University & Research).

LAMASUS Roadshow: Austria

On February 9, 2026, the second event of the LAMASUS roadshow titled “Land-use changes and alpine agriculture” (“Landnutzungsänderungen und alpine Landwirtschaft“) was organized by project partners BOKU, IIASA and WIFO, bringing together researchers, policymakers and field practitioners in Austria.

The objectives of the event were to discuss:

• A selection of results from the LAMASUS project to Austrian stakeholders
• The effectiveness of the LAMASUS methods of presenting the results
• The key elements of the challenges faced by alpine agriculture
• The agricultural and environmental policy process

During the morning sessions, project partners Sara Aref-Zahed (WIFO), Tamás Krisztin (IIASA, coordinator), Verena Kröner (BOKU), Franz Sinabell (WIFO) and Michael Wögerer (IIASA) presented LAMASUS project and results, gave an interim review of the project. The afternoon was dedicated to work in small groups on the topic of the impetus for CAP as well as integrated rural development and the contribution of agriculture. The groups worked on identifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Challenges.

Final LAMASUS Stakeholder Board workshop

5-6 March 2026

The final LAMASUS stakeholder board workshop will take place on March 5-6, 2026 at the European Research Executive Agency (REA) in Brussels, to discuss the future of EU land-use and climate policies.

During the event, LAMASUS will inform stakeholders about:

• scenario results
• findings from case-studies and roadshows
• recent changes in land-use policies in the EU
• new and ongoing reform process in the EU

The aim will also be to collect stakeholders’ reflection on LAMASUS results and outcomes, and on the process of stakeholder interaction. The outcomes of the workshop will be transformed into a tangible output: the LAMASUS declaration on land-use policies in Europe.

LAMASUS Policy Brief “Organic farming as a key driver of a more climate-resilient and sustainable EU agriculture”.

LAMASUS researchers published a new  policy brief highlighting how organic farming can be a key driver of a more climate-resilient and sustainable EU agriculture system.

In the document, they highlight that:
– Organic farming boosts hashtagclimate-resilience by reducing dependence on chemical inputs and helping farms adapt to rising climate risks.
– Adoption depends on place and markets: uptake is strongest where environmental constraints exist and where stable demand, processing capacity, and proximity to cities support viability.
– Clustering matters: organic farms are more resilient and persistent when they operate near other organic farms, highlighting the value of targeted, region-specific policy support.

In conclusion, scaling organic farming isn’t one-size-fits-all: smart, region-specific policy support, combined with strong market access, can unlock organic farming’s full potential for climate resilience, environmental performance, and economic stability in EU agriculture. These findings support the new CAP and the Vision for EU Agriculture and Food by linking environmental performance with economic resilience.