{"id":391,"date":"2019-03-04T12:04:23","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T12:04:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/global\/?p=391"},"modified":"2019-03-05T10:51:32","modified_gmt":"2019-03-05T10:51:32","slug":"beyond-plant-based-diets-for-climate-action-the-urgency-to-transform-agricultural-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/global\/2019\/03\/04\/beyond-plant-based-diets-for-climate-action-the-urgency-to-transform-agricultural-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cBeyond Plant-Based Diets for Climate Action: The Urgency to Transform Agricultural Systems\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This entry is the latest in our February 2019 “Food and Culture” series. This post is written by <\/em>Emily Bohobo N\u2019Dombaxe Dola<\/em><\/strong> , final year student in International Development. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In October last year, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its landmark Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 \u00b0C<\/em><\/a> (SR15), which showed that a target of 1.5\u00b0C  in temperature increase above pre-industrial levels is not only attainable, but also significantly less devastating for ecosystems than a 2O<\/sup>C temperature increase. The findings were met with significant consideration, alarm and scrutiny. A key issue widely discussed as a result was the need for a shift in dietary habits<\/a> towards plant-based diets, to support   climate change mitigation efforts. It is estimated that agriculture contributes to around 10-12% of global anthropogenic greenhouse emissions<\/a>, most of it coming from livestock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst it is important to reflect on the impact of our lifestyle on climate change, there is also a need to be nuanced. Plant-based eating can’t be appropriately considered as a solution without first addressing the system our food consumption is embedded in. The agricultural industry is questionable beyond its livestock sector. For instance, the mass productions of soy, a popular meat-alternative, has often been criticised<\/a> due to its role in deforestation, soil erosion, and land grabbing. Hence, when discussing climate change and agriculture, it is essential to include a need for alternative and sustainable production practices, such as agroecology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On December last\nyear, I had the opportunity to attend the United Nations Framework Convention\non Climate Change\u2019s (UNFCCC) COP24<\/a> in\nKatowice, as parties worked on the Rulebook<\/a> for the Paris Agreement. I was there as an observer,\npart of a UK youth climate organisation.  I was also involved with the agriculture\nworking group of YOUNGO (the Youth NGOs constituency to the UNFCC), composed of\nyoung people from all over the world. Our work was centred around the Koronivia\nJoint Work on Agriculture (KJWA)<\/a>, the main vehicle within the UNFCCC\/COP to\ndiscuss agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Doing an observer intervention to speak about YOUNGO’s Agriculture Working Group input\/vision during a KJWA workshop at COP24, I’m on the far end of the table. Credits to Julia Waeger.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A main concern for\nthe group was  the climate, environmental\nand social impact of the dominant agricultural system, especially in relation to\nagro-corporations<\/a>\nand mass-intensive production. Whilst we advocated for plant-based diets and\nother changes in lifestyle (e.g. waste reduction), we believed that changing consumption\nwithout transforming production is not enough. Even if the livestock industry\nis to be downsized, as part of a just transition<\/a>,\nthere is still a need for sustainable production alternatives. We also stressed\nhow the livelihoods and way of life of small-scale farmers are equally threatened\nby climate change, with a mutual relationship between both areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My stance on\nthis issue, reflected above, isn\u2019t just informed by my involvement in climate\nactivism or by my studies at Sussex, but also by experiences such as my\none-month open residency in Senegal. Though the residency was with an arts\norganisation in the city of Saint-Louis, I did more than artistic work. I conducted\nmy own research-oriented project and, as part of it, I participated in\nactivities about    the\nhistory, society and environment of the Saint-Louis region. One of them was a\nvisit to Doune Baba Dieye, \u2018the Sunken Village\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Backstory on Doune Baba Dieye, extracted from my personal blog.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A picture of the environment where the disaster occurred area. \ufeff<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Through a boat\nexpedition led by Doune Baba Dieye\u2019s village chief, I learnt about the effects\nof the flooding disaster, how lands were slowly reversing, and how locals were\nmaking the area habitable again through their traditional ecology and\nsustainable practices. When the sunken lands started to re-surge, tree-planting\nbecame key to prevent further coastal erosion. Additionally, by planting\nspecific species that help with desalinization, through their natural filtration\nproperties, locals made sustainable organic orchards in the reappearing islets,\ngrowing vegetables like cabbage, watermelon and potatoes. \u2018Artificial\u2019 islets\nhad  also been created, for migratory birds.\nUnfortunately, many flora and fauna species were unable to adapt to the mix\nbetween freshwater and seawater as a result of the disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Different stages of tree planting captured, each of them in different islets across the area. \ufeff<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Orchards on one of the islets.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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On the left: an example of a plant used to help with issues such as coastal erosion and salinization. On the right: an example of vegetables grown on the orchards. Pictures by myself.\ufeff<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The above case is not a unique one. Indeed, locals in Doune Baba Dieye had even shared their knowledge and practices with Dutch visitors who were suffering from similar environmental issues in the Netherlands. The effects of climate change, such as extreme weather conditions, are not as distant as often portrayed: they have already affected many communities<\/a> globally. Therefore, moving towards sustainable agriculture isn\u2019t just a \u201cgreen choice\u201d: it is a way to adapt to the impacts of climate change<\/a>. Besides, practices such as agroecology have the potential to reduce greenhouse emissions<\/a>. It is no surprise that organisations like the Alliance for Food Sovereignty Africa (AFSA)<\/a> have pushed for organisms like the African Union to scale-up agroecology initiatives, in light of commitments to sustainable production and climate-resilient systems<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SP15 sparked\nimportant conversations. However, there is a need to go beyond lifestyle changes.\nIt is not enough to promote plant-based diets if the production that upholds\nthem also degrades the environment and harms communities. Truth be told, not\neven focusing on agricultural production is enough: other issues need to be\nconsidered, such as international trade and the advertisement industry. Moreover,\nit can\u2019t be ignored how agriculture is both the livelihood and way of living of\nmany people across the world. Ultimately, there is a need for transformational climate\naction. As it was chanted by activists during an action\/protest\nat COP24<\/a>, we need system change<\/em><\/strong>, not climate change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This entry is the latest in our February 2019 “Food and Culture” series. This post is written by Emily Bohobo N\u2019Dombaxe Dola , final year student in International Development. In October last year, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published…<\/span><\/p>\n

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