FOOD and ENERGY:a sustainable approach

Massimo Iannetta - ENEADirector of the Unit “Sustainable Development and Innovation of the Agro-industrial System”

3‐5 NOVEMBER 2010 FAO HEADQUARTERS, ROME

ContentContent

• Demographic trends and food consumption

• Sustainability of the food chain

• Environmental impact 

• Mitigation and Adaptation

• Possible answers by scientific research

ProblemProblem: Continuous growth, based on a linear consumption ofenergy and raw materials, on a planet that has limited resources. 1900 >1,6 billion people >1,3 billion hectars of arable land2000 >6,5 billion people >1,5 billion hectars of arable land2050 >9 billion people > +/‐ 1,5 billion hectars of arable land(abandonment / urbanizat.)ResourcesResources: Water (3.000 sqm/year/inhabitant of virtual water, hydric stress / penury), Soil (salinization: 20‐30 mil.ha/260 irrigated land), Forestry (Deforestation 13 mil.ha/year), Biodiversity (‐30%), Sea (Oceanic fisheries, 75% over carrying capacity), Air (Fossil fuels +70% CO2 in 30 years, 49 billion ton., largely over450 ppm).(Global Footprint Network)

DemographicDemographic trend: trend: living living beyondbeyond ourour meansmeans

EcologicEcologic footprintfootprint ofof the the PlanetPlanet : consumption/waste1961‐2001> Energy consumption +700%1961‐2008> Use of nature: from 55% to 140% of the biocapacity ofthe Planet2009> Overshoot Day 23th September, 266th day of the year (in 1986 on 31st December)

Energy and Energy and NaturalNatural resourcesresources ConsumptionConsumption levellevel> USA (5,4 Earths), Canada (4,2), UK (3,1), DE (2,5), IT (2,2), Arg(1,2), Emergentcountries, India (0,4) 

FoodFood consuptionconsuption at global at global levellevel:: Reduction of the gap betweenmalnutrition (food security) and obesity (food safety)

(Global Footprint Network)

FoodFood consuptionconsuption

SustainabilitySustainability ofof the the foodfood chainchain

The sustainability of the food chain(Production, Production, TransformationTransformation, , DistributionDistribution, , ConsumptionConsumption) is to be experessed in termsof:

• Use of natural resources (water, soil and biodiversity / patents on living matter);

• Energy and contribution to the emission ofgreenhouse gases (CO2 eq.);

• Food choices of the consumers (healthy food/ Mediterranean diet / local consumption).

Agriculturesoilfeed

waterfertilizerspesticides

energy

Loss of soilPolluting

GreenhouseGases

emissionsWaste water

Organic waste

Domesticpreparation

waterenergy

refrigerationpackaging

Greenhousegases

PollutingemissionsFood andPackaging

waste

Distribution

energyrefrigeration

packagingfuel

GreenhouseGases

Pollutingemissions

Transport

fuelrefrigeration

GreenhouseGases

Pollutingemissions

Foodprocessing

water, energyadditives

refrigerationpackaging

Waste waterwaste

Greenhousegases

Pollutingemissions

SustainabilitySustainability ofof foodfood productsproducts::ResponsibilityResponsibility ofof the the wholewhole foodfood chainchain

OUTPUTOUTPUT

Energy Energy SourcesSources

Available data on global warming and on energyspecifically used to produce food differ depending on the setting being investigated.

The different estimates depend on the relative importance of the various energy sources.

‐In Sweden : EN 46.6%; EIdro 46.8%

‐ In Italy:Italy:

Energy Energy consumptionconsumption

An indicator of the unsustainability of the contemporary foodsystem is the Sustainability Index (SI)*

1910 (pre‐industrial societies) SI = 11970 SI = 10Today SI >100

e.g.: salad imported in UK by plane from USA: SI» 127Asparagus importated from Chile: SI » 97Carrots imported from South Africa SI » 66(Church, 2005)

*SI= Energy *SI= Energy requiredrequired toto produce the produce the foodfood / Energy / Energy contentcontent ofof the the foodfood

FoodFood MilesMiles

FoodFood milesmiles is another indicator that is being increasinglyadopted in UK (sevral supermarkets – Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s – provide labels for their products) and CarbonCarbon footprintfootprint labelslabels (e.g., Km0) are being taken to the attention of Italian mass‐media.

The transport of food is only one of the factors thatdetermine its global environmental impact.

How the food is produced and using what kind ofenergy should be taken into account.

Life Life CycleCycle AssessmentAssessment LCALCA

LCA LCA allowsallows toto::

evaluate and optimize the environmentalimpact of a product / process / activityalong its whole life cycle, from production of the raw material and ingredients totransformation, distribution, consumption and disposal of the residuals, including all movements.

A better strategy would be to examine the whole life cycle of the foodproducts by means of a Life‐Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the food supply chain, rather than considering only Food Miles.

Grave Analysis

EnvironmentalEnvironmental ImpactImpact

In Italy, the agro‐industry is responsible for about 18% of the total emission of greenhouse gases (details below)Source ISMEA 2009, Rapporto Agricarbon

104,00Total ***

19,8Transport

13,1Packaging

5,5Industrial processing

6,9Solid and liquid waste (Nitrous oxide** and Ammonia )

11,6Enteric fermentation (methane* from animal breeding)

47,1Production (fertilizers, plowing, use of water, etc.)

Mt CO2 eq.Agro-industrial chain

* Methane has a greenhouse effect 20 times that of CO2** Nitrous oxide has a greenhouse effect 300 times that of CO2*** An estimate of the contributions of consumption modalities and food waste during distribution is still missing.

12Fare clic per inserire il Titolo della presentazione

Human induced global environmental changes (GEC)

Human health

Social structures

Climate, Environment and territoryEconomy

Impa

cts

Impa

cts

Intrinsic vulnerability of ecosystems

Vulnerability inducedby the impact of GEC

Climate change is one of the most critical factors, in terms ofspeed and intensity, underlying the observed processes

Global Global EnvironmentalEnvironmental ChangesChanges (GEC)(GEC)

Cambiamenti Climatici ed Agro-ecosistemi

Roma, 13 settembre 2007

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Fare clic per inserire il Titolo della presentazione

Scenarios for the Mediterranean

Increase of temperatures

Increase of extreme events

Increase of evaporation

Seasonal variation of precipitation and reduction in some areas

Unpredictable changes, beyond our experience

Climate change + Humanactivities

Coastal areasat risk

Hydrogeologicinstability

Desertification

Agricolturalcrisis

Loss ofbiodiversity

ImpactsImpacts

Impacts

Health

MitigationMitigation and and AdaptationAdaptation for Agriculture for Agriculture and Food Securityand Food Security

ClimateClimate changechange

Net Net greenhousegreenhouse gasgas

Land use changeLand use change

Water Water BiodiversityBiodiversity

Agriculture and Agriculture and forestryforestry

Food Food securitysecurity

ImpactsImpacts

AdaptationAdaptation MitigationMitigation

Theme issues around agriculture and climate change

AimAim at at reducingreducing risksrisks and and damagedamage UseUse scarcescarce resourcesresources more more efficientlyefficiently

ActAct bothboth on on naturalnatural systemssystems and on and on humanhuman activitiesactivities toto makemake ecosystemsecosystems ““climateclimate proofproof””

AnswersAnswers ofof scientificscientific researchresearch

There is no universal recipe that is valid for all problems, but we have some general guidelines. Among these:

‐‐ OptimizingOptimizing the the useuse ofof agriculturalagricultural inputsinputs ((PrecisionPrecision farmingfarming, Conservative , Conservative farmingfarming, , OrganicOrganic farmingfarming, etc.);, etc.);

‐‐ UsingUsing wastewaste, , residualsresiduals and and subsub‐‐productsproducts alongalong allall the the foodfood chainchain toto recoverrecoverenergyenergy, , chemicalschemicals and and nutraceuticalsnutraceuticals; ; 

‐‐ InnovatingInnovating industrial processing and packaging; industrial processing and packaging; 

‐‐ ImprovingImproving intermodalintermodal logisticslogistics forfor the the transporttransport ofof agroagro‐‐industrial industrial productsproducts; ; 

‐‐ PromotingPromoting the the adoptionadoption ofof MediterraneanMediterranean dietdiet, , asas exampleexample ofof sustainablesustainable foodfoodproduction.production.

Life Life CycleCycle Energy Input (LCEI) and Global Energy Input (LCEI) and Global WarmingWarming PotentialPotential(GWP) (GWP) ofof severalseveral foodfood itemsitems

01020304050607080

FBC

FCM

RC

G

TOD

PSC B

RC

S

RP

OO BS E M

WM

Y

FLFP B

PAS

F/FJ

O

VTL

SSM

DLP

LCEI

(MJ/

Kg)

0,01

0,10

1,00

10,00

100,00FB

C

RC

G

FCM

TOD

PSC

DLP

RC

S

FLFP BS

PAS

OO

WM

Y E

SSM B M RP

VTL

F/FJ

O B

FOODSTUFF

GW

P (K

gCO

2e/K

g)

DLPDried legumes (Peas)SSMSemi-skimmed milkVTLVegetables (Tomatoes, lettuce)

F/FJOFruit or fruit juice (Orange)PASPasta

BBreadFLFPFresh legumes (Frozen peas)WMYWhole milk yogurt

MMargarineEEggs

BS2-4 biscuits (Shortbread)OOOlive oilRPRoast potatoes

RCSRoast chicken, skinlessBButter

PSCPork steak, cooked

TODTuna in oil, drainedRCGRipened cheese (Grana)FCMFresh cheese (Mozzarella)FBCFillet of beef, cooked

DLPDried legumes (Peas)SSMSemi-skimmed milkVTLVegetables (Tomatoes, lettuce)

F/FJOFruit or fruit juice (Orange)PASPasta

BBreadFLFPFresh legumes (Frozen peas)WMYWhole milk yogurt

MMargarineEEggs

BS2-4 biscuits (Shortbread)OOOlive oilRPRoast potatoes

RCSRoast chicken, skinlessBButter

PSCPork steak, cooked

TODTuna in oil, drainedRCGRipened cheese (Grana)FCMFresh cheese (Mozzarella)FBCFillet of beef, cooked

LCAfood.dk

MediterraneanMediterranean dietdiet: the : the doubledouble pyramidpyramid

Suggested consumption

Environmental impact

PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

PROTECTIONPROTECTION

DIAGNOSTICDIAGNOSTICAUTOMATIONAUTOMATION

CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION

PROCESSINGPROCESSING

LOGISTICLOGISTIC

ConclusionConclusion

PACKAGINGPACKAGING

Enea Enea hashas competencescompetences, , laboratorieslaboratories and and facilitiesfacilities thatthat are are availableavailable toto enterprisesenterprises forforactivitiesactivities ofof industrial industrial researchresearch and and precompetitiveprecompetitive developmentdevelopment on on thesethese themesthemes..

ENEA research activities along the entire chain for theENEA research activities along the entire chain for theSustainable DietSustainable Diet

21

Thank you

ENEA

 in Agro

ENEA

 in Agro ‐‐indu

stry

indu

stry