Book of Abstracts
11th IFOAM
Scientific Conference
11-15 August 1996
Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract front page
Subject index
Athor index

Symposia

Nutrition and climate S4

Meier-Ploeger, Angelika; Kjer, Ilse; Simon, Karl-Heinz

Department of Home economics and Nutrition, D-36039 Fulda, 2) University Kassel, WZ III, D-34117 Kassel

See also:
News from:
Organic.dk

The study was conducted for the German Enquete- Commission for theprotection of the atmosphere by an interdisciplinary working group for agriculture and the food system in Germany. Besides the description of the status quo proposals were made for the reduction of negative climatic impacts with view to agriculture and nutrition.

The negative climatic impact in food processing is 6% lower as compared to agriculture. This is due to modern technologies in food processing which have lead to energy reductions of 30% and also to reduced direct climatic relevant emmissions in recent years. Within the food system processing of sugar (22%), drinks (22%) as well as noodles and bakery products (26%) are contributing most to negative climatic impacts.

Of relevance is also the distribution of the produced and processed foods with a total of 10% of the negative influences. The expectation of food availability at any time of the year and at any place in the world, the trend to highly processed foods and the alteration in food preparation techniques contain the danger of a tremendous potential to an increasing energy consumption. It is, therefore, clear that the highest potentional for the reduction of climatic relevant gases in the area in food processing and nutrition lies in the food habits of consumers. These activities (shopping, foodpreparation etc) account for 75 mio. tons CO2 equivalent. Therefore, on the bases of three case studies the possibilities for the reduction of climatic relevant emmissions were studied: 1. consumption of apples(regional/seasonal versus asaisonal) ; 2. comparison of menues with and without meat; 3. convenience menue (pre-prepared products) versus directly prepared menue (fresh products). These examples showed a clear advantage for regional and seasonal whole food nutrition.

Bossel, H., Meier-Ploeger, A., Vogtmann, H. (1995):Landwirtschaft und Ernaehrung. Quantitative Analysen und Fallstudien (Teilbericht A) und ihre klimatische Relevanz (Teil B).Veraenderungstendenzen im Ernaehrungssystem. In: Enquete-Kommission »Schutz der Erdatmosphaere« des Deutschen Bundestages (Hrsg.): Landwirtschaft Studienprogramm, Teilband II. S. 5-189 Economica VerlagBonn, ISBN 3-87081-454-3