Mitigating risk of exceeding environmental limits requires ambitious food system interventions

Abstract

Transforming the global food system is necessary to avoid exceeding planetary boundaries. A robust evidence base is crucial to assess the scale and combination of interventions required for a sustainable transformation. We developed a risk assessment framework, underpinned by a meta-regression of 60 global food system modeling studies, to quantify the potential of individual and combined interventions to mitigate the risk of exceeding the boundaries for land-system change, freshwater use, climate change, and biogeochemical flows by 2050. Limiting the risk of exceedance across four key planetary boundaries requires a high but plausible level of ambition in all demand-side (diet, population, waste) and most supply-side interventions. Attaining the required level of ambition for all interventions relies on embracing synergistic actions across the food system.

What does it take to close the loop? Lessons from a successful citrus waste valorisation business

“…With the area of arable land available to us remaining limited, stakeholders in the food system are compelled to seek out new ways to meet the world's dietary needs. To continue producing nourishing food while respecting planetary boundaries, the food system of the Anthropocene must endeavour to become frugal and innovative in its use of raw materials (Hadjikakou et al, 2023;Rockstr€ om et al, 2009;Willett et al, 2019). It is perhaps this realisation that has generated immense interest in the concept of the circular economy among food businesses.…”