Overcoming Food Security Challenges within an Energy/Water/Food Nexus (EWFN) Approach

Abstract

Abstract:The challenge of feeding nine billion people by 2050, in a context of constrained resources and growing environmental pressures posed by current food production methods on one side, and changing lifestyles and consequent shifts in dietary patterns on the other, exacerbated by the effects of climate change, has been defined as one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. The first step to achieve food security is to find a balance between the growing demand for food, and the limited production capacity. In order to do this three main pathways have been identified: employing sustainable production methods in agriculture, changing diets, and reducing waste in all stages of the food chain. The application of an energy, water and food nexus (EWFN) approach, which takes into account the interactions and connections between these three resources, and the synergies and trade-offs that arise from the way they are managed, is a prerequisite for the correct application of these pathways. This work discusses how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) might be applicable for creating the evidence-base to foster such desired shifts in food production and consumption patterns.

EATS: a life cycle-based decision support tool for local authorities and school caterers

“…Furthermore, the EATS tool can help to dismantle some Bcommon sense myths^on sustainable food (De Laurentiis et al 2016), such as the general perception that food sourced locally is always associated with a lower environmental impact (as shown in the previous section, in the two cases where some of the ingredients were not seasonal, importing them from Spain-scenario M8.5-rather than sourcing them from the UK, where they are produced in heated greenhousesscenario M8.4-leads to a significantly lower CF).…”

“…schools, hospitals, universities, care homes) in reducing the environmental impacts caused by food consumption at city level, both directly-by serving low-impact food-and indirectly-by setting a good example and therefore influencing the food choices of city dwellers (Morgan and Sonnino 2007;Sonnino and McWilliam 2011). The adoption of a robust methodology and a life cycle approach are fundamental to this aim, as this can ensure that the most effective reduction measures are applied and the right information on sustainable food choices is delivered, as opposed to the adoption of measures based on Bcommon sense myths^on sustainable food (De Laurentiis et al 2016).…”

Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains: Introduction to the Special Issue

“…Firms' communication may provide information about sustainable consumption, as in the case of the nutritional labels or on indications about how to recycle. In their review, De Laurentiis and colleagues [18] turn to a systemic approach and identify synergies and trade-offs between water and energy systems and food systems, and therefore opportunities for efficient resource use and reduced environmental impact both in food production practices and consumption choices. Employing sustainable production methods in agriculture, changing diets, and reducing waste in all stages of the food chain are three main identified pathways to achieving food security in a (more) sustainable way.…”

Volatility Spillover between Water, Energy and Food

“…In the last years international organizations have organized several conferences to raise awareness of the WEF nexus [6], and some studies have addressed this issue by trying to provide a theoretically integrated view aimed at understanding how to tackle these complex relationships when designing policies and taking appropriate actions [7][8][9][10]. These studies have analyzed the technical connection that exists between the three elements in order to highlight the need for a joint policy aimed at ensuring sustainable development.…”