UN Report on Food
World must sustainably produce 70 per cent more food by mid-century
December 2013
There are many debates in Australia suburbs about trying to achieve planning and development more relevant to contemporary suburban priorities including to address issues of climate change adaptation. Most of these advocacy efforts are hard work and very frustrating.
Unfortunately despite the fact that there is an amazing amount of research already undertaken and published, our local authorities seem stuck on the ‘business as usual’ model. The present planning requirements in relation to climate change adaptation have encouraged the property industry to deliver green wash at best. In amongst all the issues we should be addressing, there is the need to consider food security.
One obvious step, and there are so many options being ignored, is to reverse the trend of the last century and to bring back food production into the cities and suburbs. Most foods should be sourced within 100 kilometres. There will be some that will always need to be brought in from afar, but so much more could be local.
Internationally the need for food security is already urgent. The UN has released a report on this urgency to produce more food.
The world will need 70 per cent more food, as measured by calories, to feed a global population of 9.6 billion in 2050, and must achieve this through improvements in the way people produce and consume, according to a report released today by the United Nations and its partners.