Dr. David Renaudeau

Since 2003, there has been a broad consensus in the livestock sector that the effects of climate change are increasing. Climate change has the potential to reduce EU pig productivity by indirectly increasing uncertainties related to the availability and cost of the main crops commonly used in pig feed, by increasing the risk of mycotoxin contamination of cereals, by spreading the vector or pathogen to new areas with the risk of epidemics affecting pigs and humans; and directly, mainly by inducing heat stress and increasing the susceptibility of the animal to various diseases. Providing realistic projections of the possible impacts of future climate change on the EU pig sector is a prerequisite for assessing its vulnerability, but also for proposing cost-effective adaptation strategies. One of the key challenges is to assess this vulnerability in an uncertain future characterised by constantly changing socio-economic, political and regulatory factors, all of which will have a significant impact on the ability of pig farmers to adapt.