LCA Food 2012 in Saint Malo, France! - Manifestations et colloques ...

KEYNOTE SESSION 8 th Int. Conference on LCA in the
Agri-Food Sector, 1-4 Oct 2012
knowledged, illustrating the intricate questions which are bundling the food/water/energy challenges, themselves
linked to ecosystem functions as underlined during the preparatory work for Rio+20. In addition, 43%
of terrestrial area is already urbanised or cultivated, consequently reducing the regulatory capacity of ecosystems
by almost half.
Agriculture is at the heart of this nexus. And yet the question of large-scale agricultural production is still
too often used as a simplistic watchword, masking the complexity of the actual situation. In reality, as the
FAO says, "climate-smart farming systems that make efficient use of resources like water, land, and energy
must become the basis of tomorrow's green economy". We must add the dependence of conventional systems
on non-renewable materials like phosphate deposits, and essential soil conservation.
Our preoccupation is therefore to commit to change towards sustainable systems. This was highlighted by
the Grenelle programming law, proposing to generalise sustainable and productive farming practices.
1.3 Widening the concept of nexus: climate change and biodiversity
The idea of a nexus leads to mobilising multiple resources; it underlines the links between economy and
environment. It is useful but remains incomplete, notably because, as we have seen, it does not really take
into account biodiversity or climate change. Thus it only addresses environmental challenges in so far as they
directly contribute to production. But as we look deeper inside natural processes, for reasons of sustainable
development, and considering the precautionary principle and the notion of strong sustainability, preservation
of natural environment must be added to it.
The work of INRA has highlighted the depressant effect of climate change on wheat yields. This effect is
seen in European countries that have sought to free themselves as far as possible from natural production
conditions to obtain the highest yields in the world. They are also observed in wheat and other crops in other
countries in the world (Lobell et al., 2011). After a long period of wheat yields growth, their stagnation since
the 1990s or even the 1980s can be related to the hydric and thermal stress caused by climate change. As far
as agriculture is concerned, climate must be considered as a natural resource in itself, a challenge distinct
from the energy subject.
A lot remains to be understood about the functions of living organisms and the relationships that agricultural
production forges with its environment. Biologists are highlighting complex equilibria in which every
living component plays a role. Dupraz and Capillon (2005) and Dupraz, Liagre and Borrell (2005) recognised
the roles played by trees in promoting and protecting crops. We therefore have to better identify and
characterise ecosystems, focusing on the ecosystem services provided. This is the purpose of numerous studies
worldwide, to which your research institutions are contributing.
We know that ecosystems and their different components do not provide interchangeable services; there
is no principle of general equivalence between the various elements of the natural environment. The services
provided by ecosystems must be quantified and valued for economies and societies to measure to what extent
and for which reasons they are depending on them. This absolutely does not mean that ecosystem exchange
markets have an environmental science-based footing, nor that money could replace a natural service. Nonetheless,
the value of biodiversity - to concentrate on this - is on the agenda for public decision makers and
research. The purpose of the assessment is above all to underline the challenges. It must be equally qualitative
and quantitative, and be expressed in physical volumes and monetary value to progress towards economic
instruments for preservation.
As a conclusion to these initial remarks, a few points can be highlighted at this stage:
The link between production and consumption, and the need to change simultaneously both parts of
the equation in order to move towards a green economy which could be viable for a population of 9
to 10 billion sharing the same planet.
The role of society and of interaction with all stakeholders, to build viable models for the future.
The strong linkages between natural resources and environment in general on one side, and economy
and production on the other.
The multi-criteria nature of the environmental challenge, which in reality covers several fields, all
the more so when considering the aim of sustainable development. Therefore, we must consider that
there is no absolute indicator and that a set of indicators is required in spite of legitimate demands
for simplification.
The need for research in numerous fields: identification and characterisation of ecosystem services,
environmental impacts, their measurement, and the assessment of their value and their functional
links with a view to sustainable production.
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