3 results
3 - Carbon footprint and nutritional quality of diets in France
- Edited by Catherine Esnouf, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Paris, Marie Russel, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Paris, Nicolas Bricas, Centre de Co-opération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Paris
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- Book:
- Food System Sustainability
- Published online:
- 05 April 2013
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- 25 April 2013, pp 51-68
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Summary
This chapter presents some original findings based on a study of the carbon footprint of food in France. Factors that are liable to explain the inter-individual variability of the carbon footprint associated with the usual food consumption of a representative sample of French adults were explored. By analysing the relationship between the nutritional quality of food and its carbon footprint, this chapter also addresses the more general issue of the compatibility of two of the pillars of sustainability.
The authors would like to thank the ADEME and INRA for their financial support that enabled this study to be conducted.
Introduction
Initial observations of the environmental impact of food demonstrated a broad inter-individual variability of this impact (even when taking account of variations in energy consumption). This contributed to the suggestion that dietary choices could simply be altered (i.e. replacing certain foods) to reduce the environmental impact of food (Carlsson-Kanyama et al., 2003; Coley et al., 1998). In particular, a reduction in the consumption of red meat from ruminants was suggested, because it is the production of these foods that generates the most greenhouse gas emissions per kilocalorie (kcal) (approximately 11 g eqCO2/ kcal) (Kling and Hough, 2010).
9 - Elements for a foresight debate on food sustainability
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- By Tévécia Ronzon, Sandrine Paillard, Philippe Chemineau, Christine Aubry, Nicolas Bricas, Paul Colonna, Catherine Esnouf, Stéphane Fournier, Hervé Guyomard, Pascale Hébel, Jean Hirschler, Claudine Joly, Céline Laisney, Bernard Maire, Jean-Louis Lambert, Sophie Le Perchec, Charles Pernin, Jean-Luc Pujol, Barbara Redlingshöfer, Vincent Réquillart, Marie Russel, Bruno Vindel
- Edited by Catherine Esnouf, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Paris, Marie Russel, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Paris, Nicolas Bricas, Centre de Co-opération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Paris
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- Book:
- Food System Sustainability
- Published online:
- 05 April 2013
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- 25 April 2013, pp 176-197
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Summary
Regional and global food systems are constantly evolving, thus the contextual elements presented in Chapter 1 are likely to evolve, and food systems will be transformed. Because it is impossible to predict the food systems of tomorrow, we have adopted a foresight approach in order to try and understand possible future changes. Our approach, which is presented in the first part of this chapter, has therefore mainly been based on identifying the main drivers of the transformation of food systems. This work was the fruit of collective discussions by a multidisciplinary group made up of some 15 experts. The plurality of their views and their areas of competence allowed them to analyse the potential impacts of the different evolutions identified relative to the sustainability of food systems in terms of their nutritional, economic, social, cultural, environmental and territorial dimensions. This step of the analysis also enabled us to highlight a certain number of points at issue, which are presented in the second part of the chapter; this does not end with a presentation of different scenarios (as might have been expected), but concludes with the three transversal messages arising from debate by this workshop: issues linked to inequalities of access to food, territorial dynamics and the governance of food systems.
Food systems evolving under the effects of various factors
Through the identification of factors underlying the transformation of food systems, it appears clearly that some trends have already been identified (see, in particular, Chapter 1 on the context and the challenges of food systems, and the retrospective analysis described in Chapter 2). Nevertheless, these trends involve a certain number of questions and uncertainties, notably regarding the nature and degree of their potential effects. These uncertainties thus open the way to contrasting scenarios for food systems throughout the world (see Figure 9.1).
7 - Losses and wastage
- Edited by Catherine Esnouf, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Paris, Marie Russel, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Paris, Nicolas Bricas, Centre de Co-opération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Paris
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- Food System Sustainability
- Published online:
- 05 April 2013
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- 25 April 2013, pp 136-157
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Summary
It is necessary to recognise and understand losses and wastage in order to enable their reduction and recovery.
Introduction
The importance of food losses and wastage in the context of sustainability and the lack of understanding of their extent, the mechanisms at play and the role of different stakeholders are such that we have devoted an entire chapter to this subject of crucial importance to the sustainability of food systems.
In this chapter we will define the losses and wastage that affect products intended directly for human consumption, in both Northern and Southern countries, without specifying the food systems in which they occur. By analysing recovery options of these lost or wasted products, this chapter will fuel the debate referred to in Chapter 4 on the interlocking character of food, energy and chemical systems and on the circular economy of agricultural biomass.
Losses and wastage are not linked to stakeholders’ carelessness. In Northern countries, they are the visible result of socioeconomic changes to food systems at a planetary level (globalisation of markets, industrialisation of processing, etc.), and of changes in value systems (leisure time versus food preparation time) (Soyeux, 2010).
The growth of the world’s population, the perception of the finite supply of arable land, the affirmation of the right to food and rises in the cost of agricultural products are all drivers that place human food consumption at the forefront of political and social concerns.