Who Will Feed the Who Will Feed the Cities?Cities?

Resource Security in the Era of Peak Resource Security in the Era of Peak Oil and Climate ChangeOil and Climate Change

The Problem: Energy-Intensive Food The Problem: Energy-Intensive Food ProductionProduction

The Solution: A Bioregional EconomyThe Solution: A Bioregional Economy What is Different about Cities?What is Different about Cities? The Contribution of PermacultureThe Contribution of Permaculture The Experience of CubaThe Experience of Cuba

DEFRA (2003), The Economic Position of the Agri-Food Sector: Overseas Trade Analysis

SourceSource: DEFRA (2003), : DEFRA (2003), The Economic Position of the Agri-Food SectorThe Economic Position of the Agri-Food Sector

Percentage of household consumption Percentage of household consumption expenditure spent on foodexpenditure spent on food

SourceSource: DEFRA, : DEFRA, The Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable DevelopmentThe Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development

Inexorable rise in oil pricesInexorable rise in oil prices

SourceSource: Lucas, Jones, and Hines (2006), : Lucas, Jones, and Hines (2006), Fuelling a Food CrisisFuelling a Food Crisis

Government attitude to food securityGovernment attitude to food security

No concern because 42% of imports are non-No concern because 42% of imports are non-indigenous productsindigenous products

Food security ‘is neither necessary nor is it desirable’Food security ‘is neither necessary nor is it desirable’ Seasonality is important ‘with out-of-season imports Seasonality is important ‘with out-of-season imports

from the southern hemisphere enabling food retailers from the southern hemisphere enabling food retailers to stock a full range of produce all year round’.to stock a full range of produce all year round’.

‘‘Comparative advantage dictates the pattern of trade Comparative advantage dictates the pattern of trade in a liberal world trading environment, with countries in a liberal world trading environment, with countries concentrating on the production of goods that utilize concentrating on the production of goods that utilize its resources in the most efficient way’.its resources in the most efficient way’.

The Ricardian paradigmThe Ricardian paradigm

Percentage of oil used in different aspects of Percentage of oil used in different aspects of food production and distributionfood production and distribution

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Retail Packaging Catering Transport Homeprep Agriculture

SourceSource: Lucas, Jones, and Hines (2006), : Lucas, Jones, and Hines (2006), Fuelling a Food CrisisFuelling a Food Crisis

Energy-intensive fertilisersEnergy-intensive fertilisers

40% of world food protein production relies 40% of world food protein production relies on nitrogen fertilizerson nitrogen fertilizers

Consumption increased from 70 million tonnes Consumption increased from 70 million tonnes in 1970 to 138 million tonnes in 2000in 1970 to 138 million tonnes in 2000

Fertiliser industry accounts for 2% of world Fertiliser industry accounts for 2% of world energy consumptionenergy consumption

In US fertilizer industry uses more than 10% In US fertilizer industry uses more than 10% of all energyof all energy

Ten calories of energy needed to make 1 Ten calories of energy needed to make 1 calorie of foodcalorie of food

SourceSource: DEFRA, : DEFRA, The Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable DevelopmentThe Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development

The Carbon Dioxide in all that we Consume

SourceSource: Carbon Trust 2006: Carbon Trust 2006

Life-Place: Bioregional Thought and PracticeLife-Place: Bioregional Thought and Practice , R.L. Thayer, 2003, R.L. Thayer, 2003

A A bioregionbioregion is literally and etymologically a is literally and etymologically a ‘life-place’—a unique region definable by ‘life-place’—a unique region definable by natural (rather than political) boundaries with a natural (rather than political) boundaries with a geographic, climatic, hydrological and geographic, climatic, hydrological and ecological character capable of supporting ecological character capable of supporting unique human and non-human living unique human and non-human living communities. Bioregions can be variously communities. Bioregions can be variously defined by the geography of watersheds, defined by the geography of watersheds, similar plant and animal ecosystems, and similar plant and animal ecosystems, and related identifiable landforms and by the related identifiable landforms and by the unique human cultures that grow from natural unique human cultures that grow from natural limits and potentials of the region.limits and potentials of the region.

Bioregionalism:Bioregionalism:Economy within Eco-systemEconomy within Eco-system

Bioregionalism has at its heart two of the central Bioregionalism has at its heart two of the central principles of green economics: balance and cycles.principles of green economics: balance and cycles.

Bioregionalism means living a rooted life, being Bioregionalism means living a rooted life, being aware of where your resources come from and where aware of where your resources come from and where your wastes goyour wastes go

Can think of it as borrowing our resources from the Can think of it as borrowing our resources from the local natural environmentlocal natural environment

The local is a principle that trumps other principles The local is a principle that trumps other principles such as price or choicesuch as price or choice

Transition Town StroudTransition Town Stroud

Community response resulting from:Community response resulting from: Political failurePolitical failure Market failureMarket failure

Power downPower down Reduction of consumptionReduction of consumption Relocalisation of consumptionRelocalisation of consumption Sharing ideas between communitiesSharing ideas between communities Learning from the South and solidarity Learning from the South and solidarity

economyeconomy

Stroud Community AgricultureStroud Community Agriculture

Close to zero food milesClose to zero food miles Genuine ownershipGenuine ownership Production not just Production not just

consumptionconsumption Seasonality and concept Seasonality and concept

of ‘share’of ‘share’ Annual cycle and Annual cycle and

community in festivalscommunity in festivals

Growing our Growing our own clothesown clothes

Stroud’s long history of Stroud’s long history of textile productiontextile production

Cotswold wool and now Cotswold wool and now alpacaalpaca

Planting and processing Planting and processing of hemp rather than of hemp rather than cotton: Stroud cotton: Stroud HemporiumHemporium

Counter poverty wages Counter poverty wages of ‘fashion victims’ in of ‘fashion victims’ in developing countriesdeveloping countries

Owning your own homeOwning your own home

Borrowing for our needs Borrowing for our needs from the local from the local environmentenvironment

Shared space: self-build Shared space: self-build and community buildand community build

Stewardship rather than Stewardship rather than ownership of land: ownership of land: Community Land TrustsCommunity Land Trusts

What is different about cities?What is different about cities?

A consequence of the division of labourA consequence of the division of labour Relying on increasingly large hinterland for Relying on increasingly large hinterland for

resourcesresources Shortage of landShortage of land Poor quality environmentsPoor quality environments Dense populationDense population Land used for infrastructure and servicesLand used for infrastructure and services

London’s ecological footprintLondon’s ecological footprint

Population: 7 millionPopulation: 7 million Surface area: 158,000 ha.Surface area: 158,000 ha. Area required for food production: 8.4m. ha.Area required for food production: 8.4m. ha. Forest area required: 768,000 ha.Forest area required: 768,000 ha. Land area for carbon sequestration: 10.5m. ha.Land area for carbon sequestration: 10.5m. ha. Total footprint: 19.7m. Ha, 125 times surface Total footprint: 19.7m. Ha, 125 times surface

areaarea Britain’s surface area: 24.4m. ha.Britain’s surface area: 24.4m. ha.

Girardet’s PlanGirardet’s Plan

Recycle and conserve waterRecycle and conserve water Use waste as a source of energyUse waste as a source of energy Crack down hard on wasted energy: learning Crack down hard on wasted energy: learning

to switch the lights offto switch the lights offMy additions:My additions: Concept of ‘shared space’Concept of ‘shared space’ Save resources through sharing mealsSave resources through sharing meals Big Green ThumbBig Green Thumb

Permaculture principlesPermaculture principles

Working with nature saves energyWorking with nature saves energy The problem is the solutionThe problem is the solution Make the least change for the greatest possible Make the least change for the greatest possible

effecteffect The yield of a system is theoretically unlimited The yield of a system is theoretically unlimited

(or only limited by the imagination and (or only limited by the imagination and information of the designer)information of the designer)

Everything gardens (or modifies its Everything gardens (or modifies its environment environment

Permaculture: A Designer’s ManualPermaculture: A Designer’s Manual, Bill Mollison, 2003, Bill Mollison, 2003

Learning from CubaLearning from Cuba

85-90 per cent of 85-90 per cent of Cuba’s vegetables Cuba’s vegetables are grown are grown domesticallydomestically

Huertos and organiponicosHuertos and organiponicos Havana now produces 50% of its food within the Havana now produces 50% of its food within the

citycity

Urban gardenersUrban gardenersOakland debating Oakland debating 40% of vegetables 40% of vegetables grown within 50-grown within 50-mile radius by 2015mile radius by 2015In poor countries In poor countries urban households urban households grow food for some grow food for some 700 million people700 million peopleBy the mid 1990s By the mid 1990s there were over there were over 28,000 huertos in 28,000 huertos in Havana city Havana city province, run by 50-province, run by 50-100,000 individuals100,000 individuals

Allotment feeding frenzyAllotment feeding frenzy London now London now

producing 16,000 producing 16,000 tonnes of tonnes of vegetables: there vegetables: there are 4,300 people are 4,300 people waiting for waiting for allotmentsallotments

Birmingham has the largest provision of allotments of any Local Authority Birmingham has the largest provision of allotments of any Local Authority in the UK: 115 sites, nearly 7,000 plots, and over 80 Allotment Associations.in the UK: 115 sites, nearly 7,000 plots, and over 80 Allotment Associations.

Richard Heinberg’s PlanRichard Heinberg’s Plan Localization of the food processLocalization of the food process Minimizing chemical inputs to agriculture Minimizing chemical inputs to agriculture Re-introduction of draft animals in agricultural Re-introduction of draft animals in agricultural

productionproduction Incentives for people to return to an agricultural life: Incentives for people to return to an agricultural life:

ownership and planningownership and planning Reskilling with farming knowledge and agri-cultureReskilling with farming knowledge and agri-culture End corporate agriculture and replace with co-End corporate agriculture and replace with co-

operativesoperatives Reorientation of subsidy regimeReorientation of subsidy regime Population limitsPopulation limits

A Positive VisionA Positive Vision

The convivial economy not the lean The convivial economy not the lean economyeconomy

An opportunity to reclaim control of An opportunity to reclaim control of production and valueproduction and value

The importance of community through The importance of community through production and consumptionproduction and consumption

Such a vision offers greater community and personal Such a vision offers greater community and personal satisfaction: a world where conviviality replaces satisfaction: a world where conviviality replaces consumption, where local identity replaces global consumption, where local identity replaces global trade, and where community spirit replaces brand trade, and where community spirit replaces brand loyalty.loyalty.

Lord Tim BeaumontLord Tim BeaumontHouse of Lords Debate House of Lords Debate on the Queen’s Speechon the Queen’s Speech27 November 200627 November 2006