A sustainable future means we must change the way we produce and consume; that is for certain. But the transitions required to arrive at that goal are insufficiently considered from a societal perspective. As such, WUR has organised a four-day conference in Wageningen for social scientists, policymakers and professionals.
A lot needs to change if we are to make the world and its food systems more sustainable and equitable. From more biodiversity in agricultural systems to sustainable protein sources and reusing waste products. One aspect has remained underexposed: society. How do people and communities need to change to create this future? How will the transitions impact society? And how can the right policies streamline the course of these social changes? These are matters related to humans and human behaviour that fall within the domain of social scientists.
Cross-pollination
Wageningen University & Research (WUR), the Sustainable Consumption and Action Initiative (SCORAI) and the European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP) jointly organise a conference around these central issues with the official title: "Transforming Consumption-Production Systems Toward Just and Sustainable Futures".
'Much knowledge is already available, and with this conference, we merge existing knowledge. It is not just about establishing links between certain domains and disciplines, but our goal is also to stimulate cross-pollination between science and practice', says Dr Sigrid Sigrid Wertheim-Heck, one of WUR's organisers.
Start with everyday experience
'The "Consumption-Production Systems" to which the theme refers are all the different ways in which production and consumption are linked: how much and how do we consume, where does the feedstock for production come from etc. The relationships between consumers and producers are determined by policies', Wertheim-Heck explains. 'That may sound rather abstract, but social scientists start with everyday experiences that people have. What do we consider normal food? And then, we delve deeper: what is needed to support these eating habits in terms of production and policies? And, ultimately, we investigate: can this remain the standard?'
The conference programme contains not only standard scientific presentations but also includes policy dialogue sessions to keep the focus on the practical dimension. In these sessions, experts, policymakers, and professionals jointly examine issues such as food production in Ukraine or the role of citizens in Amsterdam. 'Everyone holds a piece of the puzzle', Wertheim-Heck stresses. 'The big changes that are required for a sustainable, just future impact many different domains. As is demonstrated in, for example, the nitrogen crisis. That crisis is about climate, economy, but also about culture and society.'
Activist voices
'This transdisciplinary approach is reflected in the conference's keynote addresses. Politician Diederik Samsom joins to discuss the European Union's sustainability policy', says Wertheim-Heck. 'Other keynotes are delivered in pairs, through dialogue from different perspectives. We value giving the more urgency-driven activist voices an opportunity to be heard. The entire conference focuses on dialogue, allowing the different perspectives to complement each other. What policy is required? What will citizens do? What difficult decisions must be made?
