This Farm of the Future Uses No Soil and 95% Less Water

“By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth’s population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster?”

By Dickson Despommier

EU expects solid progress on Paris Agreement implementation at UN climate conference in Bonn

Photo: Takver

The EU expects this year's UN climate conference (COP23) to reaffirm once again the international community's commitment to stepping up the global response to climate change and achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Following the entry into force of the historic agreement last year, elaborating its implementing guidelines is now a key focus. Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said: “The Paris Agreement has set the direction of travel for the global transition to a modern low-carbon economy. The increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events we are witnessing across the world are a stark reminder of the urgency of the challenges we face. Now is the time to translate ambition into action and speed up implementation. COP23 will be a key moment to ensure that we are on track to meet our first deadline: completing the Paris work programme by 2018.” This year’s Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP23), presided over by Fiji, is taking place from 6-17 November 2017 in Bonn, Germany. The EU expects the conference to demonstrate clear progress on the development of the technical rules and guidelines for implementing the provisions of the Paris Agreement, for example on the transparency framework and the 5-year ambition cycle aimed at helping countries make progressively more ambitious contributions. The work programme is due to be adopted at the 2018 UN climate conference (COP24) in Katowice, Poland.

EC

Food: what's on your plate?

Article published in Cafebabel

Prevention of food waste is a major ambition that needs the collaboration of all intervenientes in society. © Flickr Sundaram + Annam

Food, the engine that drives our daily lives, is currently a hot plate on the agendas of EU leaders. We rely on this basic commodity and almost take it for granted but it has been commonly understood and agreed that we have to protect and secure our basic needs.

In the era of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) food security is a priority and the European Union as a global actor is playing a key role conducting a research framework building on a set of food security priorities. EU Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas has put in place an ambitious agenda for food policy and environmental issues. This initiative aims to contribute to the setting of EU and global directions for food waste prevention.

“By World Food Day 2016 (Sunday 16 October), the European Commission will launch a research and innovation agenda for food and nutrition security. This will lead to a Food Research Area by 2020, created by both the EU and its global food and nutrition security partners,” announced Moedas in January 2016.

The EU Commissioner for Health & Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis addressed the Committee of the Region’s plenary debate on food waste in June 2016, where he defended the urgent need of protecting food and preventing food waste while contributing to a sustainable development. 

“This is unaffordable, immoral and unsustainable. To tackle food waste successfully, we need a thorough re-think of how we produce, market and consume food at each step of the food chain,” said Andriukaitis.“The Commission will also develop, in co-operation with Member States and stakeholders, guidelines to facilitate food donation in the EU,” he added.

From food shortages… 

After the disarray of the Second World War, some European countries were confronted with severe food shortages forcing populations to control their food through rationing practices. A Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was thought through during the 50’s and finally in 1962 concrete mechanisms were adopted by the six founding member states of the EU. Market unity, community preference (chose local) and financial solidarity were the three major principles underpinning the CAP.

However, the common policy was never entirely accepted by the community and it was subject of several reforms up until today. In 1968, the European Commissioner for Agriculture Sicco Mansholt called on the Council of Ministers for reform claiming that the amount of land for cultivation should be reduced and uttered that the living conditions of farmers had not improved since the CAP’s implementation - despite a sharp peak in production.

 …To food waste

Today, there are over 500 million people living in the European Union. The world population is projected to exceed 10 billion by the end of the century. Such growth will put a massive strain on the global food supply. With a fasting growing population, demand for food is mounting but so does overproduction and ultimately vast amounts of wasted food.

It has been estimated that up to 30% of all food produced around the world is lost or wasted. According to the European Commission, staggering 88 tonnes of food are wasted every year in the EU reaching losses of €143 billion. However, the environmental impact caused by the waste is another reason for concern.

 Food waste reaches 88 tonnes of food annually, according to the Commission. © Google

Environmental impact

A report published in 2013 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) revealed the perverse effects of food waste on climate, water, land and biodiversity.

"We all - farmers and fishers; food processers and supermarkets; local and national governments; individual consumers - must make changes at every link of the human food chain to prevent food wastage from happening in the first place, and re-use or recycle it when we can't," said FAO director general José Graziano da Silva.

Solutions

According to FAO, a combination of consumer behaviour and lack of communication in the supply chain leads to higher levels of food waste in affluent societies. The food subject is particularly complex and therefore it is vital to make the shift towards a collective awareness into a holistic approach.

From a public health viewpoint, good nutrition value is essential and so is the food labeling in order to empower the consumer to make informed and sustainable choices. It is commonly believed that food consumption and dietary choices can make an important contribution to meeting current environmental challenges.

Moreover, greening measures to the whole supply chain are paramount. Re-setting the economy to consume fewer natural resources and make the agro-food system more resilient to potential supply shortages.

Last but not the least, to abruptly reduce food waste and its byproducts it is crucial to harmonise the food supply chain worldwide and take into consideration the impact on the environment and climate change. It is time to use resources within our means such as innovation techniques as to improve the circularity of recycled products and waste management.

It is in our power to prevent food waste and act responsibly. © Google

Is climate change the major concern of the XXI century?

Because we cannot take for granted the water we drink and the air we breathe, we all must take the environmental cause seriously. Ahead of the Paris Summit, adaptation strategies are needed at all levels of administration: at the local, regional, national, EU and also the international level. (Photo: Alan Cleaver ©Flickr)

 Let’s Get Startled 

The countdown has begun. Several instances proving how our planet is progressively deteriorating are undoubtedly before our eyes. First and foremost, half of the wetlands have been lost since 1900; nearly 80% of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated and pollutes rivers, lakes and coastal areas; in developing countries, 70% of industrial waste is dumped untreated into waters where it pollutes the potable water supply; every day, 2 million tons of human waste is disposed into bodies of water; the global sea level rose about 6,7 inches in the last century; all three major global surface temperature reconstructions show that the earth has warmed since 1880, however, most of this warming has occurred since the 1970’s, with the 20 warmest years occurring since 1981. 

The 10 warmest years occurred in the past 12 years. Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths a year, mainly because of asthma, malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress. These proofs are crying out for help and intervention, which can only be tackled with a worldwide effort. Every day, 2 million tons of human waste is disposed into bodies of water. 

Road to Paris 

In December 2015, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) will take place in Paris, focusing mainly on achieving a legally binding and global agreement on climate change from all the nations in the world. The hot topic on the table is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions aimed at limiting the global temperature increase to 2°C. This ecological odyssey intends to convene leading businesses, regions, cities, financial institutions, other organisations and stakeholders to come up with and develop solutions to climate challenges. 

Leaders from national governments, business, finance and technology will have the chance to network, do business, and influence the climate change agenda in a positive way through the Road to Paris initiative and the Paris Declaration, an announcement from governments, business and finance to support an international climate deal during the UN COP21 in 2015. Only in late 1979, the first World Climate Conference (WCC) took place in Geneva with the aim of tackling the environmental cause. A long way has been made since 1979 until now. In 1988, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up. 

Later on, in 1990 the IPCC’s first assessment report was released and both IPCC and a second World Climate Conference called for a global treaty on climate change. Also, the United Nations General Assembly began its negotiations on a framework convention. The basis of an infrastructure to address the environmental cause at a global level was then created. Afterwards, meetings were settled and in 1992 the International Negotiating Committee (INC), at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, adopted the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) text, entering into force in 1994. 

In 1997, the famous Kyoto Protocol was formally adopted at the Conference of the Parties (COP3), entering into force in 2005. In 2009, the Copenhagen Accord was drafted, with countries submitting emissions reductions pledges. A few years later, in 2011, the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. And finally, the last big event before the Road to Paris happened in Warsaw, where key decisions were adopted, including the Durban Platform, the Green Climate Fund and Long-Term Finance. 

What is Europe doing? 

From the European side, the Commission presented the 2030 Climate and Energy Framework on January 2014. This framework represents a center to launch discussions on how to take certain policies forward at the end of the current 2020 framework. The Luxembourg EU Presidency also has several issues to discuss concerning environmental policies. Naturally, the road to the Summit in Paris is a priority, not only in terms of external communication but also to discuss climate finance for the coming years. The reform of the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) is now on the table after a recent proposal from the Commission. The ETS covers more than 11,000 power stations and industrial plants in 31 countries as well as airlines. 

However, stakeholders have shown some disagreement towards the Commission’s stance on this subject. Lies Craeynest, Oxfam’s EU policy advisor, said that “the European Commission has wasted an opportunity to make its flagship climate tool fit for purpose by offering compensation to heavy polluters instead of making pollution pricing work for low carbon development and climate change adaptation in poor countries.” 

Nevertheless, the EU has undertaken some of the world’s most ambitious climate goals, promising to cut emissions by 40 percent by 2030, to have renewables supply 27 percent of the bloc’s energy and to cut energy use by 27 percent. Also proposed by the Commission, a circular economy is due to remake Europe into a more competitive resource-efficient economy, addressing a variety of economic sectors. Another very important topic to debate is related to air quality throughout the Member States. 

The Presidency will impose the revised National Emission Ceilings (NEC) directive on unwilling Member States. Regarding this matter, the European Commission has already referred Belgium and Bulgaria to the EU Court of Justice due to persistently high levels of dust particles (PM10) posing a major risk to public health. Sweden was also warned by the Commission to take urgent action on its poor air quality. 

Currently, a proposal from the Commission to Parliament and the Council regarding enhancing cost-effective emission reductions and low-carbon investment is awaiting a committee decision. This proposal aims to amend Directive 2003/83/EC and implement a more sustainable regulation concerning global warming. In preparatory phase in Parliament is a delegated act addressing the technical implementation of the Kyoto Protocol after 2012. 

Tackling a Global Concern 

In the USA, Barack Obama has made an important step in reducing carbon pollution from power plants with the Clean Power Plan. Before the end of his term as President, Obama has made a bold decision when introducing this new environmental measure. This action establishes for the first time national standards for limiting carbon pollution from American power plants and aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. "The Clean Power Plan gives further momentum to #COP21, shows US commitment to underpin its international climate pledge with domestic action", EU energy commissioner Miguel Arias Canete tweeted. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon referred to Obama’s “visionary leadership” while German environment minister Barbara Hendricks said the plan was an "important signal" for the Paris talks. 

Nevertheless, the US political spectrum was promptly divided when it came to support this measure. From the Democratic side, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has backed the plan, promising that if elected she will defend the Clean Power Act against “Republican doubters and defeatists”. But the Republicans are focused on business and on the coal industry and have attacked this measure calling it a “war on coal”. 

From an economic point of view, it is true that many Republican states will be affected by this measure. West Virginia, Kentucky and Wyoming are all states that get about 90 percent of their electric power from coal. And here we find ourselves confronted with a moral decision that has long been destroying our planet. We know that economical and financial interests are put in front of the environmental cause and everyday we are confronted with the terrifying consequences of that choice. 

According to Alexander Yakovenko, Russian Ambassador to the UK and Northern Ireland, “in recent years, Russia has been actively participating in the international cooperation on climate issues and is the world leader in terms of emission cuts. Over the last two decades, Russia has managed to reduce its total emissions in the energy sector by roughly the same amount that the EU has emitted over five years, and the US over three.” 

As for China, the biggest polluter in the world has admittedly intensified carbon reduction. Prime Minister Li Keqiang made the announcement following an official visit to Paris, where the global conference will take place in December. Nevertheless, doubts still remain regarding the main goal of achieving the 2°C reduction worldwide. “We think the collective ambition of what has been put on the table, in particular major emitters (EU, China, US) are not sufficient to help us maintain below 2°C,” said Li. “Now it is the task of the political process all the way to Paris to ensure we have a robust agreement by the end of this year to enhance action further.” 

Let’s take a look at Singapore, a country where strict rules are imposed upon those who fail to make an effort for the environmental cause. In Singapore you are fined if you throw litter to the floor. Some might claim that these rules are compromising the state of democracy but if we look at the other side of the coin, people are actually being fine with the ultimate intuit of preserving the environment and public health. Issues like energy, water, waste, public spaces and commuting are very well addressed in a country that uses the power of law for an overall benefit of the population. 

Conclusions 

All international efforts to tackle climate change are praised and encouraged by the world population. Since the dawn of social awareness on environmental issues, our planet has seen several changes and people are changing their lifestyles towards a more sustainable way of living. But many concerns still remain. We, the population, can change some habits and incorporate new ones in our lives, but in fact, the overall change must be done by actions taken by world leaders. Unfortunately, it is the same world leaders that so many times have refused to put the environmental cause in front of corporate matters. 

The new leader from the Labour Party in the UK, Jeremy Corbyn, has opposed maintaining nuclear energy in the country, setting out plans for a nuclear disarmament. This is a very environmentally friendly policy that even goes towards one of the solutions provided by Greenpeace to tackle climate change, “the rejection of false solutions like nuclear energy”. But David Cameron and his fellow Conservatives have reacted to this measure as an attack to national security in the UK, leaving the country in a fragile and vulnerable position. This is only one example where we have the real proof of how difficult it is to reach an agreement at a national level let alone globally. 

Moreover, its is a well known fact that questions like radically reducing farming livestock are a crucial matter in order to attack climate change. But what has Europe done regarding this? Not much. Meanwhile, the greenhouse effect and global warming are escalating. 

According to the medium fertility estimate by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, as of 1st July 2015, the world population was 7.349 billion people. China, India and the US are the top three most populated countries in the world. Studies have shown that during the 20th century alone, the population in the world has grown from 1.65 to 6 billion, and in 1970 there were roughly half as many people in the world as there are now. It is pretty obvious that we, as human beings, are the major destroyers of our own home. 

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas and mountains of garbage, industry and industrial agriculture, hunting, poaching and fishing – leading to animal extinction - deforestation, production of animals for human consumption, are only a few of the infamous emblems of the twentieth century, along with an unstoppable human compulsion to consume, consume, consume. How can this be sustainable? The planet does not have to pay for our superfluous collective habits. It is therefore a duty for all of us, whether common citizens or world leaders, to live to preserve the world we live in, because as the famous Indian saying taught us “when the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten, and the last stream poisoned, you will realise that you cannot eat money”.

Article published in Cafebabel

The Other Side of The Coin: The Anti-Summit!

Article published in Cafebabel

The other side of the coin. Cafébabel © Flickr

Brussels is accustomed to meetings of the highest political echelon. Better yet, one could say citizens are already resigned to the roads being blocked and helicopters flying overhead. But there is also the other side of the coin, when the presence of leaders can be taken advantage of to get out to the streets and protest. 

Cinema Villains, A Symbolic Protest 

The European Summit on 23-24 October has mainly concentrated on energy and climate. At the European Council, leaders are in discussions behind closed doors. Meanwhile, only 100 metres from the Council, several NGO’s* have mounted a small theatrical presentation on the bad guys of the coal industry. These organisations have for quite some time been putting on multi-coloured scenarios that give the press great satiric photo ops. Now is the time to interview those responsible at the NGOs, to get their critical opinions based on the themes they are portraying of behind the scenes at the Summit. 

Natalia Alonso, director of the Oxfam office in Brussels, criticises how countries like Poland are opposing the CO2 emissions reduction accord. “I agree that those countries need specific funds. The problem is that they’ve already had these supports in past years, but they have earmarked them to invest more in coal.” According to the Oxfam representative, it is necessary to make investments that, in the medium and long term, create employment, but that also little by little change the type of industry. 

*Oxfam, Friends of the Earth Europe and European Environmental Bureau 

Closing the deal. cafébabel © Flickr 

Even the police are protesting! 

As European leaders gathered in Brussels, Belgium police joined once again to voice a protest against the latest approved measures delaying the age of retirement for police officers for up to eight years.

Two hundred to 250 officers, all wearing unioncolors and flags, throwing bangers and fireworks, protested against pension reforms near the Parc Cinquantenaire. Despite the protest, the ambience was peaceful and people were seen talking amicably in groups. 

Behind this collective manifestation lies the Constitutional Court’s judgement which intends to eliminate the special retirement regime within the integrated police. Back in July, a Belgium Court nullified a measure enabling ex-officers of the former state police to take retirement earlier than their colleagues on active duty, who have to wait until they are 62. 

We are facing an interesting situation allowing us to make the analogy between what police officers actually represent as actors in society. They reflect the image of security, law and order and they are the guard dogs of the state, yet they have just put their own country in jeopardy at a sensitive time for national security. 

It is clear that the date of the strike was planned in advance as this was not their first strike (on the 23th of September police officers did strike, leaving the airport in chaos). An ideological defiance performed by security forces against European leaders, the maximum exponent of European authority; where could this lead if taken to the extreme? 

Unfortunately, though we know that these kinds of social protests normally fail to achieve their initial purpose, what we witnessed should not go unnoticed. The rebellion of the police officers must be seen, everywhere in the world, as an important step towards a more balanced world, where the judiciary can be with "us" and not against "us.”

This article was written in partnership with Susanna Arús.