LANDSCAPE CONVENTION

The Council of Europe Landscape Convention supports Goal 2 of the UN 2030 Agenda by requiring countries to recognise landscapes as integral to cultural and natural heritage, and identity, especially in rural and agricultural areas. It obligates parties to develop and implement landscape policies that ensure the protection, management, and planning of landscapes, including integrating these considerations into agricultural, rural, and other related policies. The Convention also calls for legislative, administrative, and financial measures to preserve and improve rural landscapes, supporting the sustainability of agricultural environments and the livelihoods of those who depend on them. Additionally, the Convention promotes education and training for specialists, as well as the inclusion of landscape values in academic courses, helping to build capacity for sustainable rural development. This comprehensive approach directly relates to and advances the aims of Goal 2 by fostering sustainable management of landscapes vital for food production and quality rural living.

Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation (2019)7 of 16 October 2019 on landscape integration in policies relating to rural territories in agricultural and forestry, energy and demographic transition, promotes sustainable agriculture and food production systems, which intersects with integrating landscape considerations into rural, agricultural, and forestry policies: "The integration of landscape considerations into policies for rural territories promotes sustainable agriculture and food production systems, ensuring that landscape values and functions are taken into account in agricultural and forestry decision-making."

The Florence Declaration, adopted on 28 October 2025 on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Council of Europe Landscape Convention, supports the aims of Goal 2 by acknowledging that the triple planetary crisis undermines food security and emphasising the importance of regenerating degraded areas, particularly those impacted by intensive soil exploitation and biodiversity loss. It calls for sustainable landscape management and balanced land use planning, which are foundational for resilient ecosystems and sustainable agriculture, thereby contributing to food security and improved nutrition.

In its Resolution 2577 (2024) and Recommendation 2286 (2024) on “Guaranteeing the human right to food”, the Parliamentary Assembly stressed the obligations of the Council of Europe member States “to ensure a consistent and integrated approach that meets the requirements of available, accessible, sustainable and adequate food for all”, including through national laws covering the right to food so as to provide a robust framework for public policies relating to food systems and strategies for mitigating the impact of global disruptions caused by climate change and geopolitical tensions.

Moreover, Resolution 2577 (2024) and Recommendation 2286 (2024) on “The absolute and urgent need to end the humanitarian crisis for women, children and the hostages in Gaza” deplored that “the majority of people in the Gaza Strip have little or no access to basic foodstuffs and hygiene products, drinking water” and urged all parties to the hostilities, in particular Israel, to “immediately grant full, rapid, safe and unhindered access by humanitarian aid organisations to the Gaza Strip and to ensure that the adequate supply of essential goods in the Gaza Strip, such as food, water, medical equipment and medicines, fuel and shelter, is guaranteed for all Palestinians, in particular women and children”. As a follow-up, the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development created a mandate of general rapporteur on the situation of women and children in the Palestinian territories (January 2026) – see terms of reference.

This page reflects recent and ongoing developments in the activities of the Council of Europe towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The Council’s historical activities in this area have been archived.