Project description
Reducing biodiversity impacts of major food and biomass value chains
It is possible to stop and reverse biodiversity loss caused by global production systems. However, this requires upscaling and accelerating transformative changes. In this context, the EU-funded RAINFOREST project will use a combination of integrated assessment modelling, input-output modelling and life cycle assessment, based on case studies addressing the nexus of agricultural production, processing and transport, retail, as well as consumer preferences and diets. The overall aim will be to contribute to reducing biodiversity impacts of major food and biomass value chains by developing and evaluating just and viable transformative change pathways and interventions. RAINFOREST will identify stakeholder preferences for a range of policy and technology-based solutions, as well as governance enablers, for more sustainable food and biomass value chains.
Objective
Food and biomass production systems are among the most prominent drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide. Halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity therefore requires transformative change of food and biomass systems, addressing the nexus of agricultural production, processing and transport, retailing, consumer preferences and diets, as well as investment, climate action and ecosystem conservation and restoration. The RAINFOREST project will contribute to enabling, upscaling and accelerating transformative change to reduce biodiversity impacts of major food and biomass value chains. Together with stakeholders, we will co-develop and evaluate just and viable transformative change pathways and interventions. We will identify stakeholder preferences for a range of policy and technology-based solutions, as well as governance enablers, for more sustainable food and biomass value chains. We will then evaluate these pathways and solutions using a novel combination of integrated assessment modeling, input-output modeling and life cycle assessment, based on case studies in various stages of the nexus, at different spatial scales and organizational levels. This co-production approach enables the identification and evaluation of just and viable transformative change leverage points, levers and their impacts for conserving biodiversity (SDGs 12, 14-15) that minimize trade-offs with targets related to climate (SDG13) and socio-economic developments (SDGs 1-3). We will elucidate leverage points, impacts, and obstacles for transformative change and provide concrete and actionable recommendations for transformative change for consumers, producers, investors, and policymakers.
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HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
7491 Trondheim
Norway