2023 EIT Food Activities - 21015-23 Digital Learning (MOOC)

“这门在线课程为期两周。在第一周，我们定义了“争议”的含义，也就是说，它是对许多人来说很重要的事情的长期公开分歧或争论；一种以表达对立甚至难以解决的观点为特征的争论，双方或多方对一件具有不确定性甚至不同价值体系的事情进行争论。我们注意到，即使创造性地加以解决，争议也会产生无益的僵局，破坏公众凝聚力。因此，他们需要清晰的论证和理性的解释。在第二周，我们将解决世界上一个主要的、正在出现的争议：在生物多样性丰富的热带地区，棕榈油产量的增加给地球系统带来了多重压力。我们了解到棕榈油在全球食品体系中无处不在：它是我们日常消费和使用的许多食品和家居用品的成分。它也被用作工业润滑剂，包括食品加工。该课程认识到，棕榈油生产是在越来越多的国家迫切需要发展的情况下进行的，棕榈油生产已成为一种有价值的出口作物。我们回顾了已发表的资料，这些资料清楚地表明，与大豆、向日葵或油菜等其他选择相比，棕榈油在对环境施加压力的同时，与环境指数（如每公顷产量最大化，同时减少化肥和农药的使用）相比，棕榈油是“最不糟糕”的选择之一。我们探讨了可持续棕榈油圆桌会议（RSPO）的工作，以及许多其他参与者在改善棕榈油价值链实践方面的利害关系。我们密切关注欧盟的最新政策，以及这些政策可能对印尼和马来西亚这两个主要棕榈油生产国产生的影响。该课程包括与该领域专家的访谈，并考察他们的观点。最后，课程鼓励学习者考虑自己的立场和行动，作为公民和消费者，在无数的争议中，如此清楚地概括了棕榈油的生产，加工和消费。该课程由雷丁大学开发，由EIT-Food资助。课程负责人是Andrew Ainslie博士a.m.ainslie@reading.ac.uk”

“This online course runs over two weeks. In Week One, we define what we mean by ‘controversy’, namely that it is a prolonged public disagreement or dispute over a matter that is important to many people; a dispute marked by the expression of opposing, even intractable views, with two or more sides contesting a matter that is characterised by uncertainty and even divergent value systems. We note that even if addressed creatively, controversies can generate unhelpful stalemates and undermine public cohesion. So they call for lucid argument and rational explanation. In Week Two, we tackle one of the world’s major, emerging controversies: the increasing production of palm oil, in biodiversity-rich parts of the tropics with multiple resulting pressures being placed on the Earth System. We learn just how ubiquitous palm oil has become in the global food system: it is an ingredient in very many of the foodstuffs and household items we all consume and use on a daily basis. It is also used as an industrial lubricant, including in food processing. The course recognises that palm oil production takes place amidst the pressing need for development in the increasing number of countries where it is produced and has become a valuable export crop. We review published sources that clearly show that while putting pressure on the environment, palm oil is one of the ‘least worst’ options in relation to environmental indices such as maximising yield per hectare, while reducing fertiliser use and pesticide use, when compared to other options, such as soya, sunflower or oil seed rape. We explore the work of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the stakes that many other actors have for improving practices in the palm oil value chain. We pay close attention to the latest policies of the European Union and the impacts these are likely to have in the two key palm oil-producing countries, Indonesia and Malaysia. The course includes interviews with specialists in the field and examines their perspectives. Finally, the course encourages learners to consider their own positionality and actions as citizens and as consumers in relation to the myriad controversies so clearly encapsulated by the production, processing and consumption of palm oil. The course was developed by the University of Reading, with funding from EIT-Food. The Course Leader is Dr. Andrew Ainslie a.m.ainslie@reading.ac.uk”