Food Climate Research Network - Phase 2

英国即将制定一个具有约束力的目标，到2050年将二氧化碳排放量在1990年的基础上减少60%。食物链占全国温室气体（GHG）排放量的20%左右。因此，显然需要一个有职权范围的机构来审查这一贡献，并探讨如何减少与食品有关的排放。粮食气候研究网络（FCRN）就是为了完成这一任务而建立的。其主要目的是为食物链沿着的利益攸关方和决策者提供关于气候变化与粮食有关方面的全面研究、政策和交流资源。该网络的初始阶段由紧急方案和战略研究中心供资，到2008年1月底结束。该网络设在萨里大学环境战略中心，现已积累了800名成员。它被工业界和政府高度视为研究重点和知识经纪人，目前正在寻求资金以巩固这一成功。认识到其对食品气候研究和政策的独特贡献，环境，食品和农村事务部（Defra）已经同意为FCRN的下一阶段提供部分资金。该建议为该网络今后四年的延续制定了工作方案，迄今为止，该网络的目的是绘制领土地图。第一阶段综合了对主要粮食温室气体影响所在的明确理解，探讨了与食物链中具体部门有关的关键问题，并为温室气体密集度较低的生产和消费系统可能是什么样子制定了一些初步设想。它采取跨学科的方法，不仅探讨了减少温室气体的技术选择，而且还探讨了我们的粮食系统所处的经济，行为和社会背景及其对可持续性的影响。在第一阶段进行的研究包括4个广泛的工作文件，涉及以下领域的温室气体：水果和蔬菜;酒精饮料;食品冷藏;肉类和奶制品。第五份概述食品与气候变化的文件正在编写中。这些工作文件为学术、商业和政策领域的许多演讲提供了基础，特别是，由FCRN组织的5次研讨会，涉及学者，政策制定者和商业利益相关者。这些工作文件还为会议文件、期刊论文、报纸文章和媒体露面提供了基础。另一项核心产出（由埃斯梅费尔伯恩基金会共同资助）是一个综合网站，因其清晰和广泛地传播与粮食和气候变化有关的研究和政策结果而受到广泛赞誉。FCRN的持续目标是继续为英国（和其他地方）的粮食和气候问题提供研究和政策重点。具体而言，FCRN旨在综合现有研究，并就粮食与气候之间的联系开展新的研究，将这一研究传达给决策者，并与不同的利益相关者合作，以帮助实现关键的温室气体减排目标。在工作计划的下一阶段，我们打算通过一种包括以下核心任务的方法来实现这一目标：A.研究综合：汇集关于粮食和气候变化的大量研究，并提出核心主题和紧张关系; B.知识转让：将现有的研究知识传达给沿着食物链的各种受众，C.建立变革势头：与决策者、企业、非政府组织和研究界接触，以提高对采取行动的必要性的认识，并鼓励就有争议的问题开展合作; D.研究发展：为关键领域的新研究提出建议，以补充和扩展现有知识。

The UK is about to establish a binding target to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% over 1990 levels by 2050. The food chain accounts for around 20% of the nation's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There is therefore a clear need for a body with a remit to examine this contribution and to explore how food-related emissions might be reduced. The Food Climate Research Network (FCRN) was established with this task in mind. Its principal aim has been to provide a comprehensive research, policy and communication resource on food-related aspects of climate change for the benefit of stakeholders and policy-makers along the food chain. The network's initial phase was funded by the EPSRC to the end of January 2008. Based at the University of Surrey's Centre for Environmental Strategy, the network has now accumulated a membership of 800. It is highly regarded as a research focus and knowledge broker by industry and government alike and is now seeking funds to build on this success. Recognising its unique contribution to food climate research and policy, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) has already agreed part funding of the next stage of the FCRN. This proposal sets out a programme of work for the continuation of the network over the next four years.The FCRN's purpose to date has been to map out the territory. Phase 1 synthesised a clear understanding of where the main food GHG impacts lie, explored key issues related to specific sectors in the food chain and developed some preliminary scenarios for what a less GHG-intensive system of production and consumption might look like. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, it explored not only the technological options for GHG reductions but also the economic, behavioural and societal context in which our food system is situated and its implications for sustainability. Research carried out during Phase 1 includes 4 extensive working papers relating to GHGs from the following areas: Fruit & vegetables; Alcoholic drinks; Food refrigeration; Meat & dairy products.A fifth paper providing an overview of food and climate change is in preparation.These working papers have provided the basis for numerous presentations in academic, business and policy arenas including, in particular, 5 seminars organised by the FCRN and involving academics, policy-makers and business stakeholders . The working papers have also provided the foundation for conference papers, journal papers, newspaper articles, and media appearances. A further core output (supported by co-funding from the Esme Fairburn foundation) is a comprehensive website, widely praised for its clear and extensive communication of research and policy findings related to food and climate change. The ongoing aim of the FCRN is to continue to provide a focus for research and policy on food and climate issues in the UK (and elsewhere). Specifically the FCRN aims to synthesise existing research and develop new research on the link between food and climate, to communicate this research to decision makers and to work with diverse stakeholders to help achieve key GHG reduction goals. In the next phase of the work programme, we intend to pursue this aim through an approach which encompasses the following core tasks:A.Research synthesis: Bringing together the huge body of research on food and climate change, and drawing out core themes and tensions; B.Knowledge-transfer: Communicating existing research knowledge to a wide variety of audiences all along the food chain, and in particular ensuring that policy makers are informed by the most up-to-date academic and industrial research; C.Building momentum for change: Engaging with policy makers, business, NGOs and the research community to raise awareness of the need for action and to encourage collaboration on contentious issues;D.Research development: Building proposals for new research in key areas to complement and extend existing knowledge.