Aaron Scheid

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Aaron Scheid

MSc (Global Change Management)

Fellow

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Aaron Scheid is a Fellow at Ecologic Institute. His areas of expertise are agricultural policy and land use, with a focus on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), carbon farming, carbon pricing mechanisms and nature-based solutions. Aaron Scheid works in English and German.

At Ecologic Institute, Aaron Scheid leads studies on the assessment and evaluation of the Common Agricultural Policy and CAP Strategic Plans. He also contributes to the projects "Capacity Building for Ambitious Climate Action in the Agri-food Sector in Central Eastern Europe, Peatland Rewetting in Nitrogene-Contaminated Environments" (PRINCESS), "Pay as You Eat Meat – A European strategy to internalize the external costs of meat" and supports the Directorate-General for Climate Action in analysing stakeholder feedback to the Call for Evidence, in preparation of an impact assessment on options for the certification of carbon removals. Additionally, he contributes to the Horizon 2020 projects "A European-wide Network of Pilot Farmers for a Carbon Neutral Europe" (Climate Farm Demo) and "Sustainable Plant Protection Transition: A global health approach" (SPRINT).

Before joining Ecologic Institute, Aaron Scheid worked as a research assistant for a member of the German Parliament, focusing on policies related to agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the time period from 2018 until 2021. His work was dedicated mainly to the committee for food and agriculture.

Aaron Scheid has completed a master's degree in Global Change Management at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE). He wrote his thesis on small scale farmers' adaptation measures to fuelwood scarcity in central Tanzania in cooperation with the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF).

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Selected publications by Aaron Scheid
PublicationArticleQuantifying Ecosystem Services of Rewetted Peatlands
 
Cover of the journal 'Ecological Indicators' from Elsevier. The title is: 'Ecological Indicators: Integrating, Monitoring, Assessment and Management'. The cover shows four pictures connected by arrows: a picture of laboratory bottles, a picture of dead fish, a picture of a man in front of several computer monitors and a picture of a book entitled 'Codex Federal Regulations'. Snow-covered mountains can be seen in the background. The publishers are J.C. Marques and F. Müller.

© 2024 Elsevier B.V.

Peatlands provide numerous important ecosystem services, including climate regulation through carbon sequestration and storage, water regulation, nutrient retention and wildlife habitat. Despite their importance, healthy peatlands worldwide are being reduced and... Read more

Tanneberger, Franziska et al. (2024) 'Quantifying ecosystem services of rewetted peatlands − the MoorFutures methodologies' Ecological Indicators 163 (2024), p. 112048. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112048.

PublicationReportPricing Agricultural Emissions and Rewarding Climate Action in the Agri-food Value Chain
 
Report cover with a deep teal background. At the top, a small white circular logo with a stylized image of the Earth. Below the logo, in large, white, sans-serif font, the title 'Pricing agricultural emissions and rewarding climate action in the agri-food value chain'. At the bottom of the cover, the company logo 'Trinomics' with its characteristic half-circle colored graphic.

© Trinomics 2023

The agriculture and land sectors must mitigate greenhouse gas emissions for the EU to meet its climate targets. In a new report published by the European Commission's DG CLIMA, Ecologic Institute, IEEP, and Trinomics investigate how an emissions trading system (ETS)... Read more

Bognar, Julia et al. 2023: Pricing agricultural emissions and rewarding climate action in the agri-food value chain. Rotterdam: Trinomics.

PublicationReportEnvironment and Climate Assessment of Germany's Cap Strategic Plan
 
Cover Page of Report on: Environment and climate assessment of Germany’s CAP Strategic Plan

© IEEP

This report identifies and assesses the likely contribution of Germany's CAP Strategic Plan to climate mitigation and adaptation, natural resources, and biodiversity protection. Overall, the findings are that there is potential for an ambitious CAP 2023-2027 period with... Read more

Scheid, A. and S. Ittner (2023) 'Assessment of the German CAP Strategic Plan: environmental and climate contributions', Policy report, Institute for European Environmental Policy and Ecologic Institute

PublicationPolicy BriefTransforming EU Land Use and the CAP: A post-2024 vision
 
Cover of the policy paper "Transforming EU land use and the CAP: a post-2024 visioni"

© IEEP

Discussions are getting underway on the post-2027 CAP – covering the period up to 2034 – with the Commission's proposals expected in July 2025. These will be drawn up by a new EU administration following the 2024 EU elections. It is in this context that this paper makes... Read more

Baldock, D. and Bradley, H. (2023) ‘Transforming EU land use and the CAP: a post-2024 vision', Policy Paper, Institute for European Environmental Policy

PublicationReportCarbon Farming Co-benefits
 
Cover of the report "Carbon farming co-benefits. Approaches to enhance and safeguard biodiversity"

© Ecologic Institute

On 19 December 2022, at the COP15 in Montreal, 196 countries historically agreed on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets global biodiversity targets to stop and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. In coherence with the proclaimed UN decade for... Read more

Scheid, Aaron et al. 2023: Carbon farming co-benefits: Approaches to enhance and safeguard biodiversity. Berlin, Brussels: Ecologic Institute, IEEP.

PublicationReportRole of Soils in Climate Change Mitigation
 
Cover of the report "Role of soils in climate change mitigation"

© German Environment Agency

This report examines the mitigation potential of climate friendly soil management practices at global, EU and German level, along with key management measures, their co-benefits and trade-offs, and implementation challenges. Globally, soils store two to three times... Read more

Frelih-Larsen, Ana et al. 2022: Role of soils in climate change mitigation. Interim Report. Climate Change 56/2022. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau.

PublicationFact SheetLow Input Grasslands / Set-aside Areas
 
Cover of the fact sheet "Low input grasslands / set-aside areas"

© German Environment Agency

Scheid, Aaron et al. 2022: Low input grasslands / set-aside areas. Factsheet. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. ... Read more

Scheid, Aaron et al. 2022: Low input grasslands / set-aside areas. Factsheet. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau.

PublicationFact SheetPrevention of Land Take
 
1st page of the fact sheet "Prevention of land take"

© German Environment Agency

Scheid, Aaron et al. 2022: Prevention of land take. Factsheet. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau. ... Read more

Scheid, Aaron et al. 2022: Prevention of land take. Factsheet. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau.

PublicationReportAlternativen zu chemisch-synthetischen Pestiziden in der Landwirtschaft
 
Cover of the study "Alternativen zu chemisch-synthetischen Pestiziden in der Landwirtschaft. Zusammenfassung und Überblick zum aktuellen wissenschaftlichen Stand", with logo of BUND. Background image: Cornflower in a grain field

© Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland e.V. (BUND) – Friends of the Earth Germany

What are the alternatives to the use of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides? What potential do they have, and what are the preconditions for their use? Which farming measures minimize weed and parasite infestations? What can be used to attract beneficial insects?... Read more

Scheid, Aaron; May Hobeika; Antonia Riedel 2022: Alternativen zu chemisch-synthetischen Pestiziden in der Landwirtschaft. Zusammenfassung und Überblick zum aktuellen wissenschaftlichen Stand. Berlin: Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland e.V. (BUND)

PublicationPolicy BriefTowards a Transformative Sustainable Food System Legislative Framework
 
Cover of the Think2030 policy brief "Towards a Transformative Sustainable Food System Legislative Framework"

© Think Sustainable Europe

This Think 2030 policy brief proceeds in five parts. Section 1 defines what a sustainable agri-food system should look like according to the scientific literature and how an Sustainable Food System (SFS) law could bring EU food systems more in line with the evidence.... Read more

Baldock, David et al. 2022: Towards a Transformative Sustainable Food System Legislative Framework. Think2030 Policy Brief.

PublicationArticleFuelwood Scarcity and its Adaptation Measures
 
Screenshot of the article

copyright: IOP Science

In Tanzania, the majority of the rural population still relies on fuelwood as their major source of cooking energy. The adaptation measures of small-scale farmers in response to increasing fuelwood scarcity play a key role in altering the course of nutrition insecurity,... Read more

A Scheid et al 2018 Environ. Res. Lett. 13 095004

PublicationArticleAdapting to Fuelwood Scarcity
 
screenshot first page

© 2019 Scheid, Hafner, Hoffmann, Kächele, Uckert, Sieber and Rybak.

About 3 billion people worldwide depend on fuelwood to meet their domestic energy needs. Almost 90% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa use fuelwood-based forms of energy. However, its use is often unsustainable and is one driver of environmental degradation. In... Read more

Scheid A, Hafner JM, Hoffmann H, Kächele H, Uckert G, Sieber S and Rybak C (2019) Adapting to Fuelwood Scarcity: The Farmers' Perspective. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 3:28. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2019.00028

Selected events by Aaron Scheid
EventDigital EventAlternatives to Synthetic Chemical Pesticides in Agriculture
 

Photo by Jewgenia Stasiok | pixelio.de

Insect mortality, loss of biodiversity in the agricultural landscape, but also pesticide residues in food? Surely no one wants that. As well as pesticides or their degradation products in the soil, water and air. Nevertheless, around 30,000 metric tons of pesticides are... Read more

Digital Event:Alternatives to Synthetic Chemical Pesticides in Agriculture

Date
Location
online
Selected presentations by Aaron Scheid
PresentationPanel discussionWhat's in for Climate and Environment?
 

©MartinaChmielewski|Fotolia.com

On 21 March 2023, Aaron Scheid presented Ecologic Institute's analysis of the German CAP Strategic Plan at the NABUtalk on the next CAP reform. He joined State Secretary Silvia Bender and CAP experts Dr. Sebastian Lakner, Sönke Beckmann, and Dr. Norbert Röder to discuss... Read more

Panel discussion:What's in for Climate and Environment?

Date
Location
Berlin, Germany
PresentationPanel discussionStocktaking and Alternatives to Pesticides in Agriculture
 

Photo by Jewgenia Stasiok | pixelio.de

Food is supposed to be healthy and grown sustainably. But in reality, more and more pesticides end up on the fields and thus in our food. Mass pesticide use has devastating effects on health and the environment. Is this really necessary? What are the concrete effects of... Read more

Panel discussion:Stocktaking and Alternatives to Pesticides in Agriculture

Date
Location
online
PresentationInterviewAlternatives to Pesticides also Exist for Conventional Agriculture
 

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Diverse crop rotation, mechanical weed control, beneficial insects to protect crops: According to a study commissioned by BUND, standard practice in organic farming could also be used more often by conventional farmers. Aaron Scheid from the Ecologic Institute and... Read more

Interview:Alternatives to Pesticides also Exist for Conventional Agriculture

Date
Location
Deutschlandfunk, Germany

Recent content by Aaron Scheid

Event:Conference
 
The MoorNet conference in Bonn will focus on synergies and conflicting objectives in connection with the rewetting of degraded and near-natural peatlands. Peatlands are unique habitats for highly specialised animal and plant species, and their protection plays a decisive role in climate protection and other environmental goals. The event will take place on 19 and 20 November 2024 at the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation in Bonn. The aim is to gain an overview of current and future synergies and conflict solutions in the field of nature conservation. The event is aimed in particular at stakeholders who are specifically concerned with synergies and conflicting goals in the practical implementation of peatland protection.

MoorNet Conference: The role of nature conservation and climate protection in peatland protection

Synergies and conflicting objectives

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Bonn, Germany

Read more
Publication:Policy Brief
 
RESTORE4C Policy Brief Coastal Wetlands
The first policy brief of the EU-funded RESTORE4Cs project highlights the importance of European coastal wetlands in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing carbon from the atmosphere, promoting their restoration as a climate change mitigation solution.

How Can Coastal Wetlands Help Achieve EU Climate Goals?

A Policy Brief from the RESTORE4Cs project

Year

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Project
 
Livestock GHG-emissions are a significant contributor to agricultural GHG emissions. The latest Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding period has integrated several funding mechanisms designed to support the implementation of environmental and climate friendly practices through measures such as the eco-schemes and the agri-environmental-climate measures. Despite these positive approaches to reduce the emissions from livestock, the CAP still entails the risk of subsidizing high-emissions livestock production, in particular through coupled income support. This underlines the need for better understanding CAP funding mechanism for effective reduction of livestock emissions.

Mitigating Livestock Emissions Through the CAP

A brief analysis of livestock-relevant CAP interventions in five case-study countries

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Read more
Event:Workshop
 
On 23 May 2024 a workshop for competent authorities and organizations of peatland rewetting projects was held in Hannover with 25 participants.

Peatland Rewetting Projects – MoorNet Workshop

Workshop for competent authorities and organizations


Hannover, Germany

Read more
News
 
A banner with the inscription “PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS OPEN! On the findings of the CREDIBLE Focus Group. Minimum requirements to ensure that carbon farming delivers sustainability benefits” against a background of hay bales in a field.
As part of the Credible project, we invite stakeholders and citizens to participate in the discussion on carbon farming in the EU by providing feedback on the project reports during this public consultation. This is your opportunity to influence the ongoing development of the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) and the wider discussion on carbon farming in the EU. The feedback provided through your comments during the public consultation will be shared with the wider expert community and policy makers to ensure that EU policy on carbon farming works with and for farmers and delivers climate and biodiversity benefits.
 

Public Consultations on Carbon Farming!

Influence the ongoing development of the European Carbon Removal Certification Framework

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News
 
A major step was made by recruiting almost 1500 farms located in 26 EU countries, showcasing a wide range of agricultural systems. The majority are dedicated to animal husbandry and mix farming systems, followed by specialized arable crops and finally, horticulture crops. Around 25% of the total farms, across sectors, are organic farms.
 

Climate Farm Demo: building up a network of 1,500 farms

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
Graphic for the Think2030 Conference in Brussels featuring a quote from Aaron Scheid, a Fellow at the Ecologic Institute. The quote reads: 'The transition of the agricultural sector towards resilient and sustainable business models, while sustaining food production, needs ambitious climate targets and policies and incentives in place for achieving them.' Aaron Scheid is shown in a portrait next to the text, set against an olive green background with decorative wavy lines in blue, red, and green.
At the Think2030 conference in Brussels, Aaron Scheid discussed the role of the agricultural sector in reaching climate neutrality by 2050 during a Science4Policy session. Despite some progress so far, efforts have stagnated, and current projections indicate only a modest reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) by 2030, ultimately making the sector number one in terms of GHGs emissions. Therefore, shifting support away from emission-intensive practices and transitioning into a low-emission agricultural sector must be our first priority, while making farmers the driver of the transition.

Reaching Climate Neutrality in Agri-food – Identifying the Right Policy Mix


Aaron Scheid

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