Background The olive tree is one of the most widespread agricultural tree species in the world. Some 70% of the world’s olive harvest comes from the European Union, where almost 5 million ha of land is devoted to cultivating olives.. Agriculture is particularly vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather events and faces the combined challenge of mitigation and adaptation to the new climate scenario. However, olive trees are able to survive and produce under different and difficult agro-ecological conditions. They represent, therefore, an unusual case of a crop which could be used to emphasize carbon sequestration and mitigate the effects associated with climate change. This is in line with one of the main objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy 2014-2020 which seeks to fully exploit the potential of agriculture to mitigate climate change and adapt the whole sector to its consequences, thereby increasing its positive contribution to carbon sequestration. Nonetheless, little is known about the CO2 fixation capacity of olive groves and about their mitigation effect on greenhouse gases. Objectives The OLIVE4CLIMATE - LIFE project proposes a holistic vision of the processes and products associated with the production of extra virgin olive oil, based on a quantitative assessment of the related carbon footprint. The proposed innovative cultivation approach will be tested in three Mediterranean countries with heterogeneous environmental conditions and with significant olive production: Italy, Greece and Israel. By means of a series of demonstration actions, the project will test strategies for the sustainable production of olive oil and promote the uptake of secondary products derived from integrated cultivation systems. A life-cycle assessment (LCA) will be conducted, allowing the quantification of the carbon sequestration potential in the olive groves and providing the necessary information to define a technical protocol, which can be replicable in different production and environmental contexts. A handbook for the sustainable management of olive groves, covering aspects such as the olive oil value chain, soil and waste management, and carbon credits, will also be drafted. Expected results: The implementation of the project actions is expected to lead to the following results: Demonstration of a series of replicable solutions and protocols for sustainable management of the olive oil value chain in different environmental and climatic conditions in the Mediterranean area; The creation of numerical models to define the carbon sequestration capacity of olive trees and optimise the planting of new olive trees; The drafting of a greenhouse gas emission monitoring plan for the olive oil value chain, with the involvement of producers; Definition of a labelling system and quality assurance schemes based on the LCA and the carbon footprint evaluation; and Support to the inclusion of olive groves in the voluntary market of carbon credit certification, by reducing emissions and enhancing carbon storage capacity.