www.policyalternatives.ca research analysis solutions every bite counts: climate justice and bc’s...
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research • analysis • solutions
Every Bite Counts: Climate Justice and BC’s Food System
Marc LeeSenior EconomistCo-Director, Climate Justice Project
Presentation to Food For All conferenceOctober 2011
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Climate Justice and BC’s Food System
• Adaptation and Self-Reliance- Nourishing local food systems- Delinking from globalized, corporate industrial
food
• Mitigation and Sustainability- Organic and biodynamic food- Reducing food miles
• Food Democracy and Fairness- Taking hunger off the table- Integrating food, housing and health
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Adaptation and Food Self-Reliance
• Climate impacts and rising transportation costs mean we cannot rely on importing half our food
• Shift from 50% to 80% self-reliance by 2030
• Protect and expand the Agricultural Land Reserve
• Connect farmers with schools, hospitals, and other institutions
• Half of production is “lost” at some point.
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BC food production
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Supporting Farmers and Farmworkers
• BC has lots of small, family farms, but food chain controlled by large corporations
• Supply management systems deliver higher prices, matched to local demand
• Cooperatives can help gain economies of scale
• Migrants and other farmworkers need better wages and working conditions
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Climate impacts of BC’s food production
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Food types and GHG emissions (Env’l WG 2011)
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Mitigation and Sustainability
• Phase out fossil fuels on farm and from transportation
• Mainstream sustainable agriculture practices
• Shift from chemical fertilizers
• Integrated farms• Organic production still
small but growing• Shifts in diet away from
red meat
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Food Democracy and Fairness
• What is food democracy? “Ensure that all have access to affordable, decent,
health-enhancing food” and “decency and social justice in the food system’s wages, working conditions and internal equity” (Tim Lang)
• Will more localized and sustainable food worsen inequities in access to food?- About 8% of BC households experience food
insecurity at some point over a year- Dieticians: low income people cannot afford healthy
food- Food banks are the front line
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Taking hunger off the table
• Improving access to food with dignity- Support living wage ($18.81 per hour in Metro
Vancouver) and link increases to food prices- Complementary anti-poverty policies include
affordable housing, child care and other public services
• Link food, housing and health policies- Food insecurity –> poor health outcomes- Housing costs less than criminal justice, health care
and social services- Investments in social housing should include food
programs with a range of options (cafeterias, delivery, community kitchens)
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More on the Climate Justice Project
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/projects/ climate-justice-project
http://twitter.com/#!/MarcLeeCCPA