Are local food chains more sustainable than global food chains? Considerations for assessment
Brunori, Gianluca (University of Pisa. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment)
Galli, Francesca (University of Pisa. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment)
Barjolle, Dominique (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich ETH. Sustainable Agroecosystems Group)
van Broekhuizen, Rudolf (Wageningen University. Rural Sociology Group)
Colombo, Luca (Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca in Agricoltura Biologica e Biodinamica (Roma, Itàlia))
Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Kirwan, James (University of Gloucestershire. Countryside and Community Research Institute)
Lang, Tim (City University (Londres, Regne Unit). Centre for Food Policy)
Mathijs, Erik (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences)
Maye, Damian (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
de Roest, Kees (Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali (Itàlia))
Rougoor, Carin (Centre for Agriculture and Environment Foundation (Culemborg, Països Baixos))
Schwarz, Jana (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences)
Schmitt, Emilia (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Sustainable Agroecosystems Group)
Smith, Julie (City University (Londres, Regne Unit). Centre for Food Policy)
Stojanovic, Zaklina (University of Belgrade. Faculty of Economics)
Tisenkopfs, Talis (Baltic Studies Centre (Riga, Letònia))
Touzard, Jean-Marc (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (França))

Data:	2016
Resum:	This paper summarizes the main findings of the GLAMUR project which starts with an apparently simple question: is "local" more sustainable than "global"? Sustainability assessment is framed within a post-normal science perspective, advocating the integration of public deliberation and scientific research. The assessment spans 39 local, intermediate and global supply chain case studies across different commodities and countries. Assessment criteria cover environmental, economic, social, health and ethical sustainability dimensions. A closer view of the food System demonstrates a highly dynamic local-global continuum where actors, while adapting to a changing environment, establish multiple relations and animate several chain configurations. The evidence suggests caution when comparing "local" and "global" chains, especially when using the outcomes of the comparison in decision-making. Supply chains are analytical constructs that necessarily-and arbitrarily-are confined by system boundaries, isolating a set of elements from an interconnected whole. Even consolidated approaches, such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), assess only a part of sustainability attributes, and the interpretation may be controversial. Many sustainability attributes are not yet measurable and "hard" methodologies need to be complemented by "soft" methodologies which are at least able to identify critical issues and trade-offs. Aware of these limitations, our research shows that comparing local and global chains, with the necessary caution, can help overcome a priori positions that so far have characterized the debate between "localists" and "globalists". At firm level, comparison between "local" and "global" chains could be useful to identify best practices, benchmarks, critical points, and errors to avoid. As sustainability is not a status to achieve, but a never-ending process, comparison and deliberation can be the basis of a "reflexive governance" of food chains.
Ajuts:	European Commission 311778
Nota:	Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552
Drets:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Local ; Global ; Food supply chain ; Sustainability ; Assessment ; Reflexive governance ; Post-normal science
Publicat a:	Sustainability, Vol. 8, art. 449 (May 2016) , ISSN 2071-1050

DOI: 10.3390/su8050449

27 p, 1.7 MB

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