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Sustainable diets, eco-system damage and disease:a policy perspective

Tim LangCentre for Food Policy, City University London

t.lang@city.ac.uk

Lecture to the Ecology and Conservation Studies Society, London, as part of lecture series on ‘Food Security - maintaining resources in the age of

globalisation of trade’. Held at Birkbeck College,February 27, 2015

The problem (1): data mounts • C20th food system has been a big success:

– Prices, availability, consumerism, choice• But…. we have a mismatch of bodies,

environment and food supply• Stakes are rising:

– Ecosystems: water, land, biodiversity, soil etc– Public health: NCDs, nutrition transition, etc– Social divisions: intra- and inter-national

• It’s a cultural and ecological public health crisis• How have policy makers responded? 2

The problem (2): redefining progress

• What is a good system? – Good for whom/what?

• How to deal with complexity?– Interdisciplinarity policy cacophony

• How to deal with urgency?– Fast climate change, nutrition transition

• What governance will work?– multiple crises in a fragmented world

• It’s a crisis of food democracy vs food control3

Competing analyses (simplified)

The food system is fine•Right economics•Wrong consumers•Wrong mindsets•Wrong bodiesSolutions:•Change behaviour•Personalisation•New technical fixes

Food system is in crisis•Physiology is fixed•Wrong environment•Wrong €$£ signals•Distorted cultureSolutions:•Multiple complex acts•Reframe conditions•Systems transition

– Agroecology Sust’l Diets

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5 traditions / models of public health

• Sanitary Environmental• Social Behavioural• Bio-Medical• Techno-Economic• Ecological

Source: Rayner & Lang (2012) Ecological Public Health, Routledge Earthscan

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A social-ecological model of public health

EPH argues for a focus on interrelationships, natural and human

• Key notions:– evolution– ‘interrelatedness’ / ‘the web of life’. – Patterns of health and disease are linked to

species success in an ecological niche.

• ‘Ecology’ (E. Haeckel, 1886) replaces Darwin’s ‘economy of nature’ – but same roots

• Humans now drive evolution path• EPH first articulated by J Hanlon,

US Asst Surgeon General: – human species and its demands are

compromising the ‘ecological base of life’7

Charles Darwin ( Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge)

Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of natural selection; campaigner against inequality and ecological destruction and species transplantation

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The evidence-policy-reality gap

How can we shift to sustainable diets from sustainable food

system?

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Exceeding boundaries?Source: Rockström et al (2009)

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Drop in % hungry but different regional effects, 1990-2011/13

Source: FAO SOFA/hunger portal 2013 http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/ [Oct 27 2013]

Volatility: FAO Food Price Index, 1961-2015

Source: http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/foodpricesindex/en/ [accessed Feb 26, 2015]13

Long-term price developments – annual real commodity price indexes Source: World Bank

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Squeeze on land for foodhectares/capita world, 1970-1990-2010

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Land use by type, hectares per capita, by

regionSource: FAOSTAT in:UNEP GRID Arendalhttp://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/the-development-potential-available-land-per-capita-in-land-use-class_1068

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The role of policy in this situation

Taking a longer view on how the problem has been framed

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10k years of food supply change

• Settled agric (8500 BCE ff)

• Iron age (5000–6000 BCE)

• Feudal & peasant agriculture (varies by region & empire)

• Industrial Revolution (C18th)

• Chemical Rev’n (C19th)

• Mendelian genetics (1860s but applied C20th)

• Oil era (C20th)

• Green Rev’n (1960s ff)

• Modern livestock revolution (1980s ff)

Emerging• Ecological (C21st ?)

• Biotechnology (C21st ?)

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C19th Agricultural progressives

Sir John Bennet Lawes(1803-1873)

agricultural research Rothamsted

Justus von Liebig(1803-1873)

chemist Giessen

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The C20th Productionist Paradigm: (which coalesced in the

1930s)after: Lang & Heasman (2004) Food Wars

Science + capital output distribution + waste food prices health = PROGRESS

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‘New Fundamentals’ of C21st food Chatham House Food project 2006-09 etc

• Climate change• Fuel / oil / energy• Water• Land use• Biodiversity • Labour shifts (work)

• Population (9bn 2050)• Urbanisation• Affluence (BRICs +)• Inequality • Nutrition transition• Healthcare costs• Waste

The beginnings of policy development

Tentative stepsBut are they fast and deep

enough?

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Sweden’s lead:• Evidence-based eco-

nutrition guidelines (May 2009)

• Joint work by National Food Administration & Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

• Other input (e.g. Swedish Board of Fisheries)

• Framed around eco-conscious consumers, rather than population

• Focus on key food groups

• Submitted to EU EFSA (withdrawn)

UK Government policy, 2008-10

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EU policies tip-toe to SustDiet?1. UN Sustainable Consumption and Production

– Marrakech process (post Rio 1992 Johannesburg 2002 CSD) http://esa.un.org/marrakechprocess/index.shtml

– Focus on products / LifeCycleAnalysis (LCA) / Sustainable lifestyles

2. CAP slowly changing (situation normal)– Shift from paying for production to environmental goods– Climate change adaptation SEC(2009) 417: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/sfs/index_en.htm

3. EU Platform for Action on Diet, PA and Health (parallel to SCP)– focus on NCDs / Consumer information/ But weak so far on Sust’l

Consumption in food; Food Information regulation (2011) / focus on ingredients not impact / years arguing Nutrition labels

4. Commercial focus on products not health:– Integrated Product Policy (IPP) focus on enviro’t eg waste– http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ipp/integratedpp.htm

5. Focus on Carbon and Waste reduction as efficiency6. BUT EC Sustainable Food communiqué shelved 2014 25

Some developments 2010-15

• 2010: FAO defined Sustainable Diets: http://www.fao.org/food/sustainable-diets-and-biodiversity/en/

• 2013: IUNS Sustainable Diets Symposium suggests a Commission

• 2014: EU Sustainable Food communiqué frozen: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-688_en.htm?locale=FR

• 2014: ICN2 ducks sustainable diets?• 2014: Carasso/EAT Panel on sust’l food (inc. diet)• 2015: US Dietary Guidelines for Americans

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015.asp

• 2015: Milan Expo on sustainable food (May-Oct) http://en.expo2015.org/

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Companies edge into the terrain• International companies:

– 2009: B30 top TNCs initiative Coca-Cola, Tesco, Unilever

– 2002: SAI launched Groupe Danone, Nestlé, Unilever

– 2011: World Economic Forum: McKinsey

– 2010: Barilla Centre’s double inverted pyramid• UK companies begin engagement:

– 2007: IGD Food Industry Sustainability Strategy Champions Group focus on low carbon + ethics

– 2008: Tesco gives £25m Manchester SCI– 3 retailers’ choice-edit M&S Plan A, Co-operative Group, Waitrose

– Unilever, PepsiCo brand sustainability strategies• VERDICT: product-specific approach not

overall diet, but some movement (eg Unilever)

Barilla Centre: combining nutrition with environment gains

http://www.barillacfn.com/en/bcfn4you/la-doppia-piramide/

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NGOs move from ‘single issues’• WWF -Euro: One Planet Diet• Eating Better: less but better www.eating-better.org/;

• Square Meal: farming if based on ecological health? www.foodresearch.org.uk/square-meal

• CSO experiments: eat local + seasonal, short chains– Vancouver 100 mile diet; Fife Diet, etc.

• Consumers International: shift from HK congress 1992; now takes consumers’ impact on eco-systems seriously

VERDICT: civil society has culture impact, not power

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Complex labelling is possible: OmniStandards in a label + traffic lights

source: Sustain ©

Consumer sharing ‘apps’• Social media = information sharing• ‘virtual’-led culture change• 4 broad modes:

– Celebrity led: twitter world– Recipe change (changing diet without knowing

it’s low carbon): http://www.greenlicious.org/index.php/en/app

– Food product choice eg MSC fish certification ‘to eat / to avoid’ list: http://www.msc.org/cook-eat-enjoy/fish-to-eat

– Where to Shop / ‘Food Tripping’, eg Ford’s app: http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/ford-and-shftcom-celebrate-earth-20130422063554 31

What about academics? (1)• Nutrition slow but accelerating engagement:

– UK Nutrition Society 2012– BNS/NutSoc/FNS Lille May 28-29 2013:

http://www.sfel.asso.fr/fichiers/pdf/annonces-ivers-congr-s/programsustainabledietlille.pdf

– Barilla Center, Bocconi Univ, Italy (2009--)– Nordic Council diet advice 2014

• Agricultural Science: – SCAR 3rd Foresight rept

http://ec.europa.eu/research/agriculture/scar/pdf/scar_feg_ultimate_version.pdf

– Clash between 2 policy narratives: ‘productivity’and ‘sufficiency’ (how much is enough?)

– Rallying around ‘sustainable intensification’?

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Academics (2)• Engineers:

– Resource-focus – technological solutions eg waste digesters on-farm– Inst Mechanical Engineers report 2012:

http://www.imeche.org/knowledge/themes/environment/global-food

• Social Science:– Working in projects eg RESPONDER http://www.scp-responder.eu

and FoodLinks www.foodlinks.eu/

– Sustainable Consumption Institute (£25m Tesco funded at Manchester Univ) – warning consumers of change http://www.sci.manchester.ac.uk/

– Behaviour change: ‘nudge’ or ‘push’? Individual or societal?33

A process of ‘democratic experimentation’ is underway• Sweden 2009• New Nordic Diet 2010• NL Health Council 2011• UK Green Food Project 2012• German Council of Sust Dev’t 2014• Brazil Dietary Guidelines 2014

– If foods are advertised, think carefully about eating them

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The policy crisis is over choice

Choice vs choice editing vs controlNeo-liberal fear of ‘nanny state’

Choice has come to define progress

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Choice as a spectrum

Source: Lang, Barling & Caraher (2009) Food Policy, OUP

The ladder of interventionsource: Nuffield BioEthics (2007)

Policy action DescriptionEliminate choice Regulate entirely to eliminate choice, eg ‘one brand

choice’Restrict choice Regulate to restrict options. Eg remove unhealthy

foodsGuide choice through disincentives

Fiscal disincentives to influence people not to pursue certain activities, eg tax food advertising

Guide choices through incentives

Regulations to guide choice, eg tax-breaks for healthy dietary choices or bicycle travel to work.

Guide choices through changing the default policy

Choice-edit and alter the default action. Eg. green foods with every meal choice

Enable choice Enable individuals to change their behaviours, eg offering free fruit in schools.

Provide information Inform and educate the public. Eg. campaigns to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

Do nothing or simply monitor the current situation

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The ideal goal: officialSustainable Diet Guidelines

Possible processesDefining and delivering

Rethinking Brundtland’s triple focusTailored to fit Sustainable Development Goals = SDG²

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Re(de)fining sustainability: beyond Brundtland!

• Malthus: environment determines capacity• Food revolution expanded production by mining eco-

systems and resources• Hot Springs 1943 set the policy framework• Brundtland 1987 tried to recalibrate

– Sustainable Devt: environment + economy + society• We now need to redefine food progress• We need a Hot Springs 2

– Food policy not agricultural policy– From CAP to Common Sustainable Food Policy (EU)

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UK Sustainable Development Commission 2011 report proposed sustainability as a complex set of ‘poly-values’

http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications.php?id=1187

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Quality Social values• Taste• Seasonality• Cosmetic• Fresh (where appropriate)• Authenticity

• Pleasure• Identity • Animal welfare• Equality & justice• Trust • Choice • Skills (citizenship)

Environment Health• Climate change• Energy use• Water• Land use• Soil • Biodiversity• Waste reduction

• Safety• Nutrition• Equal access • Availability • Social status/ affordability• Information & education

Economy Governance• Food security & resilience• Affordability (price)• Efficiency• True competition & fair returns• Jobs & decent working conditions• Fully internalised costs

• Science & technology evidence base• Transparency • Democratic accountability• Ethical values (fairness)• International aid & development

The case for Sustainable Dietary Guidelines (SDGs x 2 = SDG²)

• Provide a rational policy framework• Link to UN Sustainable Develop’t Goals (2015)• Reconnect nutrition, health and agri-food• Bridges the NCD / CO2e discourse gap• Re-set moral and political drivers• Refocus institutions around consumer needs • New basis for public advice and supply chain

goals: – what to eat + how to consume + how produced

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Ambition is needed!• Global:

– a Hot Springs 2– Sustainable Consumption & Production in UN, WB etc

• Europe:– CAP Common Sustainable Food Policy– a new Eurodiet process: EuroSustDiet

• National actions:– Reassert Swedish advice and test it– Democratic experimentation

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What might unlock the lock-in?• Internal food systems dynamics:

– Price or quality crises?– corporate pressure?

• External shock:– War? resource crisis? (oil, water, climate?)

• Leadership:– One country takes a lead (as Germany has on

nuclear)– International city alliances: C40, EU Sustainable

Food Cities• Public pressure:

– NGO campaigns sowing the seeds….43

Conclusions• a period of tentative experimentation• no strong framework yet but ideas coming• Food system is experiencing rapid change• multilevel action necessary (global-local)• A new era in the long power battle over food

democracy and sustainability• We should push for SustDietGuidelines

– to integrate science, help policy, and appeal to the public

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Goals for C 21stpolicy processes: http://www.oecd.org/site/agrfcn/3rdoecdfoodchainnetworkmeeting25-

26october2012.htm

• The Goals• Sustainable Diets from Sustainable Food Systems (SDGx2)• Priority to reducing Evidence-Policy gap in food policy• Reshape consumer aspirations around sustainable diets• New frameworks for whole chain sustainability

• This requires:• Integrated food chain analysis:

o Agri-food-health-environment- society-economy etc• Rationalisation of initiatives (end policy cacophony)• Stop being frightened of consumers

o World cannot eat like the West; nor should it!

o We need a new Hot Springs framework (1943)! http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/p4228e/P4228E04.htm 45

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Thanks!

t.lang@city.ac.uk