Can We Eat Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis?
Can We Eat Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis? Mother Jones
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Can We Eat Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis?
Introduction
This report discusses the book “The Blue Plate: A Food Lover’s Guide to Climate Chaos” by ecologist Mark Easter, which explores the climate impact of the US agricultural system. The book examines the emissions created at each step of the food production process, from growing ingredients to getting them to the table. It also highlights innovative practices that can make food production more climate-friendly.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The book aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 15: Life on Land
Examining the Climate Toll of the US Agricultural System
The book uses various kitchen table staples, such as seafood, salad, bread, chicken, steak, potatoes, and pie, to demonstrate the climate impact of the US agricultural system. Each chapter focuses on a specific dish and analyzes the emissions created throughout its production process.
Innovative Practices for Climate-Friendly Food Production
“The Blue Plate” showcases innovative practices being implemented across the US to make food production more climate-friendly. These practices include changes in farming techniques, such as reducing tillage, incorporating cover crops, and eliminating chemical fertilizers. The book explores how these practices can be scaled up and adopted widely to reduce agriculture’s contribution to climate change.
Personal Connection and Historical Context
The author’s personal connection to the topic is highlighted through his great-grandmother’s experience as a farmer during the Dust Bowl. The book delves into the transformation of the Great Plains from a carbon-rich grassland to an agricultural complex, emphasizing the historical context of agriculture’s role in climate change.
The Role of Soil in Climate Change
The book emphasizes the importance of soil health in mitigating climate change. It explains how organic matter in the soil supports crop growth and resilience, and how the depletion of soil carbon contributes to climate burdens. The author visits farms where regenerative practices, such as reducing tillage and planting cover crops, are being implemented to restore soil health and increase organic matter.
Potential for Large-Scale Changes
The book acknowledges the cultural and social barriers to large-scale changes in food production practices. However, it highlights the growing emphasis on soil health within the farming community and the increasing adoption of regenerative practices. The author believes that widespread changes in farming techniques can be achieved by empowering individual farmers and ranchers to make sustainable choices.
Reframing the Question
The book suggests reframing the question from “Can we eat our way out of the climate crisis?” to “How can we end the process of burning fossil fuels and reduce the impacts of food production on climate change?” It emphasizes the need to transition away from fossil fuels and the potential of regenerative food production methods to draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and cool the planet.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 15: Life on Land
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
- SDG 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator for SDG 2.4: Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, and organic farming.
- Indicator for SDG 13.2: Integration of climate change considerations in agricultural policies and practices.
- Indicator for SDG 15.3: Restoration of degraded land and increase in soil organic matter content.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, and organic farming. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | Integration of climate change considerations in agricultural policies and practices. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. | Restoration of degraded land and increase in soil organic matter content. |
Source: motherjones.com
