Overview

The IPCC informs us that ~24% of the global carbon emissions we produce stem from food, agriculture & land use. When allowed to thrive naturally, land and water systems are not only a source of splendor, but are also deeply functional, and in a word—invaluable.  They work as “carbon sinks” that sequester carbon back into the ecosystem, or rather remove problematic carbon from the air and transform it back into stable, physical components of living, natural systems (forests, plankton, soil, etc.), at least to an extent. Through repurposing much of the world's land area for other human activities (agriculture, development, etc.), and in turn reducing the land's capacity to perform these naturally emergent services, the ability of these natural systems to counteract human-made carbon emissions has, however, been exceeded.  The purpose of this Track is to explore the impact of food production, consumption and waste on the health of ecosystems, and the ability of nature to balance the system when protected and restored.  We also explore the value of nature’s design wisdom to help us innovate new solutions. We will offer guidance regarding how your organization may take action to support a healthy system directly, and to advocate for policies to provide additional improvements.

In addition to reducing total carbon emissions, agriculture that places maintenance of functional ecosystems at the heart of its models obtain additional synergies in the sustainability domain, such as promoting the restoration of biodiversity, centering farmers, increasing the prosperity and agency of women & indigenous groups around the world, and increasing climate and food security, among other ecosystem services. Beyond agriculture, deployment of carbon offsets for unavoidable carbon emissions is a method by which emission can be accounted for by funding a proportional expansion of a carbon sink—although this process remains a transitional substitute for ultimately reducing or eliminating the source or generation point of the emissions.

Big Opportunities

Below are some selected actions and concepts to get you started…

•  Food Sourcing - Buy food from companies that use sustainable agricultural practices, and implement those practices if you are an agricultural producer

• Food Efficiency - Reduce food waste & Increase plant-rich diets 

• Carbon Sinks & Offsets -   Understand Carbon Sinks and understand the pros and cons of Carbon Offsets

• Protect & Restore Ecosystems - Understand that humans are part of an ecological system, and protection of all of the interconnected elements of that system is necessary for human survival and the survival of life generally in our shared biosphere 

• Innovation in R&D - Support innovation in R&D by using Biomimicry to “Ask Nature” for answers to design questions 

• Policy - Advocate for policies that support regenerative agriculture, food efficiency, and protect and restore ecosystems 

Please click on the READ MORE below for a deeper dive into the content and resources available to support you in these opportunities.