POWER SHIFT - Why We Need to Wean Industrial Food Systems Off Fossil Fuels

This report is a companion piece for the Discussion Paper “Toward Fossil Fuel–free Food: Why Collaboration between Food and Energy Systems Players Is Key.” The objective of the Discussion Paper is to provide a better understanding of the interconnectedness between food and energy systems, taking into account the role of fossil fuels. [...] Subsidies for biogas production also incentivize the growth of the industrial livestock industry, with the development of manure-to-energy projects.45 One study estimated that 10 POWER SHIFT: WHY WE NEED TO WEAN INDUSTRIAL FOOD SYSTEMS OFF FOSSIL FUELS | GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR THE FUTURE OF FOOD THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF FOOD & ENERGY SYSTEMS the European Union’s palm biodiesel policies caused the loss. [...] The interactions and co-dependencies of the food and energy systems do not receive the attention they deserve; nor is there enough focus on the potential dividends of collaboration, including for climate change, biodiversity, land and water pollution, livelihoods, food and energy security, and nutrition. [...] • European Union: Two estimates exist from the European Commission and the European Environment Agency: Estimate 1: According to the European Commission, the food sector is a major consumer of energy: the amount of energy necessary to cultivate, process, pack, and bring the food to European citizens’ tables accounts for 17 percent of the EU’s gross energy consumption in 2013. [...] 22 POWER SHIFT: WHY WE NEED TO WEAN INDUSTRIAL FOOD SYSTEMS OFF FOSSIL FUELS | GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR THE FUTURE OF FOOD ABOUT THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is a strategic alliance of philanthropic foundations working together and with others to transform global food systems now and for future generations.