Sustainability in a global context Patricia Osseweijer, Department - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Feb 26, 2024 96 likes •329 views

Sustainability in a global context Patricia Osseweijer, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences Burning to mechanical harvesting of sugar cane Safer conditions for field workers but less jobs Higher trained field

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Patricia Osseweijer, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences

Sustainability in a global context

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Burning to mechanical harvesting of sugar cane

Safer conditions for field workers – but less jobs
Higher trained field workers – with higher income
Availability of biomass for 2nd generation (versus 50% burned)
Higher income for farmers
Less environmental impact

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Social challenge of transition to biobased production

Biobased production can help reduce climate change…

Requires support and investment

Policies can help to facilitate deployment

Policies are influenced by major debates of opponents and proponents of new technology

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Newspaper headlines

The Guardian, Monday 15 February 2010

EU biofuels significantly harming food production in developing countries

The Guardian, Thursday 18 February 2010

A surreal argument for biofuels

5 January 2013, New York Times

As Biofuel Demand Grows, So Do Guatemala’s Hunger Pangs

1 August 2013, The Guardian

UK calls for 'good' biofuel plants Government to offer £25m prize for most viable demonstration of making liquid fuel from non-food plants

The Guardian, Wednesday 10 February 2010

Scrap biofuels targets and focus on improved public transport The Irish Times, Saturday 30 January 2010

Producers of biofuels want changes to carbon tax

15 April 2013, BBC News

Biofuels: 'Irrational' and 'worse than fossil fuels‘ The UK's "irrational" use of biofuels will cost motorists around £460 million over the next 12 months, a think tank says

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Perceptions: Biofuels causing hunger?

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Total world population (2013): 7,2 Billion

Location and number of undernourished population

Source: FAO, 2013

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Dimensions of Food Security (FAO, 2006)

Availability: quantities of food of appropriate quality Access by individuals to adequate resources (entitlements) for acquiring appropriate foods for a nutritious diet Utilisation of food through adequate diet, clean water, sanitation and health care to reach a state of nutritional well-being where all physiological needs are met Stability: To be food secure, a population, household or individual must have access to adequate food at all times. They should not risk losing access to food as a consequence of sudden shocks or cyclical events

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Land availability for rain-fed agriculture: 4.5 B ha very suitable/suitable

Land availability

Source: FAO, 2012

Expected need for growing food and feed demands: 130-219 Mha
Available, excluding land already in use for agriculture (1,3 Bha), forests

and protected land (1,8 Bha): 1,4 Bha, of which 955 Mha pasture land

Additional land is strongly concentrated in Latin America and Sub-

Sahara Africa, and used predominately for animal grazing. Developed countries also have land available but agricultural area is expected to remain stable

In addition, 600 Mha degraded non-arable land can be used for

dedicated bioenergy crops, improving soil quality & productivity At global level, land is not a constraint but availability is concentrated in two main regions

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2.5 billion people depend on traditional biomass for cooking

Share of Traditional Biomass in Residential Consumption

Source: IEA, World Energy Outlook

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Alleviation of food security by bioenergy?

Adapted by Lee Lynd from: Thurow, R. Kilman, S., 2009

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Causal relations?

Source picture 1: Johnson, Food prices in relation to fertiliser, fossil fuel, other consumables, October 2014 Source picture 2: Hsiang et al. Relation food prices and civil conflict, Nature 2011

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Source: Shutes et al. 2013

Indirect contributions of modern bioenergy to food security

Producer prices Food production Food trade Producer prices

Household Income From land, labour & capital

Food basket Nutrient consumption

1. Increasing

availability Access Utilisation Stability

3. Improving

functioning of markets

2. Increasing acces to

food of sufficient quality

4. improving

investment climate Availability

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Genetic modification possible benefits

improved crops for yield or management
improved microorganisms to reduce by-products and water use

Source: Wilhelm Klümper, A Meta-Analysis of the Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops, November 2009

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Issues in Genetic Modification

Playing God – relates to what is life and its inherent value
Biosafety – especially of GM food crops
Monocultures – effects on biodiversity
Power of multinationals – just distributions of harms and benefits
Biosecurity – use of GMO’s for warfare

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Resulting in opposition

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Sustainability

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Opinion forming & decision making

Relevant facts Intuitions Moral principles People Profit Planet People Profit Planet

Bearable Equitable Viable Sustainable

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Conclusion

Technology for biobased production provides many
pportunities to improve economic, environmental and

social dimensions

It requires well integrated designs which build on economic,

environmental and social evaluation

With such designs we can work on better futures!

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