86th UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV International Short Course - Sustainability for Food Systems and Forest Products: the Role of Consumption and Production (SC86)

Duration: 24 October - 25 November 2022 (online)

Motivation

Sustainable consumption and production (SCP) aims at "doing more and better with less"- increasing net welfare gains from economic activities by reducing resource use, degradation, and pollution while improving the quality of life. SCP is essential to achieving a sustainable land use transition in line with the SDGs, the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity, as it promotes resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and access to essential services. Its implementation helps achieve overall development plans, reduce future economic, environmental and social costs, strengthen economic competitiveness and reduce poverty as dimensions of resilient and inclusive growth. SCP is essential to halting and reversing the loss of forests and biodiversity, and land degradation.

Consumption and production of food and forest products and related services highly depend on the use of natural resources, affecting biodiversity and ecosystems services. The production and extraction of agricultural goods and forest products alter landscapes and natural systems across the planet and support as well as impact the livelihoods of billions of people. Therefore, efforts under SDG 12 have a central role to play in developing strategies that acknowledge the complexity and interconnectedness of resource availability and demand in order to effectively target the fundamental drivers of change.

About 60% of the world’s forests – approximately 2.4 billion hectares – are primarily or partially used for the production of wood and non-wood forest products. A growing population and dietary changes are increasing demand for land to cultivate crops and graze animals. This increases the pressure on forest resources, while the rate of net forest loss is already unsustainably high.

The food system is a major contributor to climate change and biodiversity loss, responsible for around 30% of global GHG emissions. Agriculture uses one-third of the land surface, thereof globally about two thirds for the production of animal food and is thereby a major driver of deforestation. Moreover, according to FAO’s 2019 report on “The state of food and agriculture”, 14% of the world’s food is lost after harvesting and before reaching the retail level, including through on-farm activities, storage and transportation. Reducing food loss and waste is an important way to improve food security and nutrition, promote environmental sustainability and lower production costs. The importance of the agriculture sector, mainly the animal production and the forest sector for climate change mitigation lies not only in the potential to reduce emissions but also in its potential contribution to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Beyond their impact on the climate system, food and forest products are consumption clusters where consumers can substantially influence the total environmental burden associated with their consumption choice. SCP requires a systemic approach and cooperation among actors operating in food systems and in forest value chains, from producer to final consumer. Culture, the economic system, institutions, business models and infrastructures are also crucial to enable less consuming lifestyles, to increase eco-efficiency and to create a more sustainable and inclusive path to economic development, prosperity, and well-being.

Course concept and objectives

Aligned with the “Value-Chain-Approach”, the first part of the course will deal with sustainable consumption and production patterns along the entire value chain of forest and agricultural products and commodities, increasing eco-efficiency and ultimately decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation. This approach is a systemic analysis of drivers and barriers to sustainability along the different stages of the value chain, which identifies key points of intervention for common agenda for action.

Successful long term solutions are impossible without tackling the more deeply underlying causes. For example, technological solutions can reduce some of the pressures on biodiversity by restoring natural conditions to a smaller or larger extent (food, using energy and natural resources). However, the root causes will only generate further pressures if the sectoral fragmentation of institutions and unsustainable production and consumption patterns continue to prevail. The same appears, if policymaking, cultural and knowledge values do not lead to a paradigm shift in society as driver of necessary changes. In that sense, concepts and approaches such as life cycle thinking, transition theory, design for sustainability and transformative governance will be discussed during the course.

In the second part of the course, strategies for implementing sustainable agriculture/agroforestry systems, nature-based solutions, and land management will be addressed. Policy-relevant questions will be explored, such as: (i) What do sustainable food systems look like from a natural resource perspective? (ii) How can eco-efficiency improvements be made to enhance food security? (iii) How to steer transition towards sustainable food systems? In summary, focus will be given to efforts to promote responsible production and consumption of forest and agriculture products and their contributions to the circular economy, including through the adoption of policy and technological innovations for increased tenure security, legality, enhanced efficiency in production, improved market access and inclusion of smallholders and forest communities in sustainable value chains.

Ultimately, to foster a change towards sustainable consumption and production, the cooperation of key actors will be essential. Although people's and business awareness of the value of biodiversity is rising, they are still not aware of the interconnectedness of production and consumption as the causes contributing to the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services worldwide. Therefore, strategies and best practice examples of communication on sustainable production and consumption in food systems and along forest value chains will be discussed.

Participants will also develop a post-training action plan (PTAP) for a challenge in their field of work, applying the course contents and considering inspiration received from facilitators and fellows during the course. This plan shall be implemented autonomously upon return and facilitate the transfer of the newly acquired knowledge into the day-to-day activities.

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Define the concept of SCP and explain its value for sustainable development, the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs,
• Distinguish key elements of effective national policy planning and governance to promote SCP strategies,
• Identify enabling conditions for mainstreaming and implementing SCP policies and programs, including sectoral policies and multi-stakeholder initiatives, and
• Discuss principal challenges and opportunities for advancing SCP strategies (e.g. demand-supply and sustainable behaviors and lifestyles) in the context of sustainable food systems and forest value chains.

Target groups

This course is aimed at experts who prepare and implement political decisions and practical measures in ministries, authorities, local government and non-governmental institutions of developing countries (including emerging economies) working on resource sustainability, sustainable societal development as well as green and low carbon economy.

A first university degree (e.g. BA, BSc) in a related field is essential. Adequate communication skills in the English language and the nomination by the delegating institution are mandatory.

What makes participating in this online course transformative?

• Experience of the CIPSEM team in conducting engaging, meaningful online trainings considering the challenges in developing countries and emerging economies
• A full-time, 5-week learning experience combining live video-conference sessions, self-study units and exchange on our online learning platform
• Renowned international and German facilitators
• Financial support towards good internet access and living costs (640 €)
• Participants become part of a large international network of environmental experts and leaders (more than 2 500 alumni from 145 countries).
• Transfer of the gained knowledge and skills though mentored development of post-training action plans
• Alumni of this course can apply for one of several innovation fellowships supporting the implementation of the post-training action plan with 2000 €.

Application and participation

Qualified professionals are welcome to apply for this training from 23 March until 17 May 2022 on CIPSEM’s online application portal. The Steering Committee selects 22 participants of this course by July 2022. Only selected participants will be informed via email. Successful participants are awarded a Certificate of Proficiency in Sustainability for Food Systems and Forest Products: The Role of Consumption and Production.

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