In a new book recently published by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), researchers paint a picture of an alternative future in which food, energy and water supplies are sustainable and in the control of local communities.
Image credit: IIED
Virtuous Circles: Values, systems and sustainability’s authors show that our current food system’s dependence on fossil fuels is unsustainable and harmful to the environment. Instead, they call for circular systems that mimic natural cycles to produce food, energy, materials and clean water.
“Circular economy models that reintegrate food and energy production with water and waste management can also generate jobs and income in rural and urban areas,” says co-author Dr Michel Pimbert, a principal researcher at IIED. “This ensures that wealth created stays within the local and regional economy.”
As global policymakers and researchers gear up for the upcoming 17th Conference of the Parties, or COP17, in Durban, South Africa, lessons like the ones provided in this book provide important solutions to help address some of our most pressing environmental challenges.