Economics for Rebels The ecological economics of food systems – Mike Clark
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Apr 23, 2023 In this conversation, Mike Clark, a Senior Researcher in Sustainable Food Solutions at Oxford, explores the ecological economics of food systems. He delves into the rising food demand driven by population growth and income, predicting a significant increase in agricultural production by 2050. Clark discusses the environmental toll of food systems, including greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, while advocating for mostly plant-based diets as a major mitigation strategy. He also highlights the importance of policy reforms to encourage healthier, sustainable eating habits.
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Why Meat Is Environmentally And Nutritionally Central
- Meat production has much higher environmental impacts per unit than nearly all plant-based foods, even comparing most efficient meats to least efficient plants.
- Meat can be nutrient-dense and important in contexts of deficiency, but excess red and processed meat link to poor health.
Agriculture Causes Long-Range Air Pollution Health Harms
- Agricultural practices emit fine particulate matter that travels long distances and causes major public health harms.
- Linking emissions sources to population exposure requires epidemiology, spatial source mapping, and atmospheric transport modelling.
Corn Belt Emissions Hurt Distant Cities
- In the U.S., particulate sources cluster in the Corn Belt while health hotspots occur in downwind cities like Chicago and New York.
- This creates long-distance telecouplings where rural emissions harm distant urban populations.