A widely-accepted definition of sustainable development is the definition given in Chapter 2 of the 1987 Brundtland Report: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs .” The report points out two key concepts in this definition: the concept of needs and the concept of limitations on the environment’s ability to meet those needs.
The needs for food are increasing as world population grows, but land area for growing crops is finite. There is competition for this land from industrial and residential development, conservation of biodiversity, leisure, and other uses of land such as production of fibres, and building materials and mined materials. We need to supply more food to meet the needs of our increasing population, and also ensure that we minimise the limitations on the environment’s ability to meet future needs. To meet the future needs there must be enough land, a suitable climate, enough water to supply crops and livestock, soils that are sufficiently productive, and technologies that ensure sufficient and reliable yields.
Global warming will make this a more difficult challenge because it will significantly alter the type of crops we produce and where, so it is difficult to predict how future generations will meet their food needs. There is a consensus view that temperate climates such as ours will need to become more productive, because Mediterranean and tropical climates are likely to become less productive.
Increasing efficiency To supply enough food, production will need to be efficient, and waste must be minimised by more efficient supply chains. Fortunately, the drive towards more sustainable food supply, which seeks to drive down environmental impacts such as global warming potential, or carbon footprint, also reduces costs. This is because a greater level of production per unit of land and per unit of inputs (such as fertilisers and fuel) leads to less environmental impact per unit of production.
An ADAS report for the Government’s chief scientific advisor Professor John Beddington showed that it is hypothetically possible to boost wheat production by 40 per cent and oilseed rape production by 55 per cent within the next six to seven years. Such gains would mostly be brought about by bringing grassland and un-cropped areas into production. Yet such a move would have serious drawbacks: large impacts on biodiversity and large carbon
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Engagement of suppliers in management of carbon emissions will enhance food security
Dr Jeremy Wiltshire, Head of Carbon Management, ADAS Prof. Roger Sylvester-Bradley, Principal Crop Scientist, ADAS
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