AGROECOLOGICAL TRANSITIONS CONFRONTING CLIMATE BREAKDOWN: FOOD PLANNING FOR THE POST-CARBON CITY
The 9th AESOP-Sustainable Food Planning international conference on “Agroecological transitions confronting climate breakdown: Food planning for the post-carbon city” will be hosted at the Faculty of Architecture (ETSAM), November the 7th and 8th , and organized by GIAU+S from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain) and Surcos Urbanos.
There is increasing scientific evidence that we are approaching a tipping point on climate change, in which self-reinforcing feedbacks will accelerate deterioration on a global scale. Urban food systems are a major contributor to the climate change, as well as highly vulnerable to it, in a non-homogeneous way: distressed urban areas and vulnerable populations will suffer more the impacts.
Urban areas account for nearly 60 % of energy use and 70 % of CO2 emissions (IEA, 2008). As goals are set for greenhouse gas emissions, self-sufficiency in energy, and adaptation to climate change, much prominence is given to urban plans for sustainable mobility and energy efficiency in the built environment. We want to draw attention to the food issue, -which in fact has strong implications in terms of energy and emissions – connecting the already mainstream claims for territorialized food systems based on solidarity relationships and shifting diets, to the challenges related to climate change and eco-social breakdown’s threat.
In this conference we approach the problem with an agroecological lens, to discuss the implications of the deep changes needed, in terms of degrowth, social justice and contesting the political and economic hegemony.
Climate change has cascading effects that should be addressed through corresponding cascading decisions across the urban region. We invite you to share knowledge and experience on planning the agroecological transition and reorienting current food systems.
We invite you to discuss in which ways planning instruments and processes are levers of the required public support towards territorialized food systems, diversified agroecological production, local logistic and retail infrastructures, adapted technologies and new organization of an envisioned close-loop cycle of food production, and consumption. Is resilience a concept strong enough to face the ecological crisis or a more radical approach is needed? Are we talking about impacting unequal power relations and distributions of resources? About placing farming/primary sector at a central position in economy? About placing the rural world at a central position in food planning? Or maybe about self-contained city, frugal urbanity, city-region’s self-reliance and austerity?
Together with the congress, there will be held some special events, such as a PhD workshop, field visits to some of the most important agroecological enclaves in the city of Madrid, a round table discussion on Social Movements and Agroecology, and a closure social dinner in La Casa Encendida cultural center.
We invite you to assist the conference to share your knowledge and experience. All the information posted on the AESOP website.
This congress is supported financially by the program “Programa Propio I+D+i” from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). Member of the organizing committee: Álvaro Sevilla Buitrago; member of the scientific committee: Marian Simón Rojo (GIAU+S).
Organizing and collaborating AESOP, UPM, GIAU+S, Surcos Urbanos, DUyOT, La Casa Encendida