[Craic] What is Missing from the Climate Debate - Navdanya International

Sun Nov 13 13:03:26 PST 2022

Hello Art;

Once again, the farmer in me leads me to question some statements made in this article about the “Industrial Food System”, published by Navdanya. As they say, you can take the boy from the country, but not the country from the boy.

I agree there are big problems with what Navdanya calls, “The Industrial Food System.” There are also some benefits in that it produces a large surplus of food. We do not have a food problem on Earth, we have waste and distribution problems - largely due to capitalism.  Even with the surplus food that the present system produces, millions of people are going hungry.

Yes, we could reduce the negative effects on Mother Earth’s ecosystems that are caused by “The Industrial Food System”. If we were to do so, in isolation, how many more people would die of hunger, and hunger-related illnesses? What we need is a wholistic approach; one that reduces food wastage as a high priority and one that manages the distribution of food so that all of God’s children can go to bed at night with a full tummy. 

Now, in my perspective, Navdanya is cooking the books when it comes to their claim that:
“Industrial Agriculture accounts for 44 to 57 % of all GHG emissions.”

Such a claim is so far beyond other published data it leads one to wonder about its reliability. For example, the chart (pie graph) shows deforestation is responsible for 15 to 18 % of GHG emissions. The clear implication is that agriculture is the beneficiary of all deforestation. Is that true in your neck of the woods, so to speak? Is all of the deforestated land in British Columbia ending up in the industrial food system? It doesn’t happen that way here in Ontario!  It may happen in Brazil, or in Malaysia where tropical forests are taken down for the  Palm Oil plantations - a true example of industrial monoculture in agriculture ( and in our household we attempt to use as little palm oil as possible).

My point is that the chart overstates the claim about deforestation, leading me to also question the claim about transport, for example. Here in Toronto transportation accounts for 36 per cent of GHG emissions - and personal vehicles NOT agriculture are responsible for most of that. https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/environmentally-friendly-city-initiatives/transformto/ <https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/environmentally-friendly-city-initiatives/transformto/>
Since 80- per cent of Canadians live in urban environments, and more than 50 per cent of people do in North America where our GHG emissions outrank other continents, it is difficult to understand Navdanya’s assertion that agriculture is a major source of GHGs through “transport”.

Obviously, I have a bias in my reading of these charts, and in my conclusions. There are members of my family who are involved in the Industrial Food System. Their question is usually about how much more are people willing to pay for a different food supply system?

There’s lots more that could be written on this topic, I just wanted to add a bit about the accuracy of the charts that Navdanya is publishing.

Stay hopeful;
Allan

“One of the welcome consequences of the last two years is that human beings everywhere are seeking out the kind of positive experiences that define and validate them as human. Evidence of this is everywhere discernible, not least in the intensity with which we have re-engaged with the arts, discovered a new appreciation for nature, or reached for a deeper and more constructive understanding of our place on this planet.”
Patrick Deane, Principal
Queen’s University
Queen’s Alumni Review, Fall, 2022

> On Nov 13, 2022, at 11:55 AM, Arthur Blomme via craic <craic at lists.integralshift.ca> wrote:
> 
> View this email in your browser <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnLz9uYT12aWV3JmlkPTQ2OzsyMzI4NDMwYWRjZGIzYzUxN2IyN2U0NDU4MTYxNmE3NA%3D%3D>
> 
>  <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3doYXQtaXMtbWlzc2luZy1mcm9tLXRoZS1jbGltYXRlLWRlYmF0ZS87O2YzMTQyNWYxMTJhMTUxZjNjYWUyNDM2NDQyNjlhMDZk>
> From November 7- 18 COP 27 will be taking place in Egypt, in the wake of yet another year of unprecedented climate chaos, skyrocketing fossil fuel profits, and little to no climate action taken from the previous COP. Time is critically running out for climate action.
> 
> In a new article by Navdanya International, “What is Missing from the Climate Debate <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3doYXQtaXMtbWlzc2luZy1mcm9tLXRoZS1jbGltYXRlLWRlYmF0ZS87O2YzMTQyNWYxMTJhMTUxZjNjYWUyNDM2NDQyNjlhMDZk>”, the details are laid out on key aspects missing from the current climate debate.
>  
> In recent years the role of food systems in climate change has become more prominent. And while it's important to address the central role food systems play in climate, the debate has been reduced into dualistic narratives around plant versus animal, and percentages of CO2 emissions, instead of addressing the larger crisis of how current industrial practices are destroying Earth’s ecosystems and cycles.
> As said by Navdanya International President, Dr. Vandana Shiva, "The destabilisation of the Earth’s climate systems is the consequence of violating the ecological processes and cycles of the earth, violating the Rights of the Earth, Rights of Indigenous People, and the Rights of Future Generations.”
>  
> The dangers of such reductionism, is a greenwashing that omits the real root of ecological destruction- industrial systems in all their iterations, while distracting from intentions to greater control food supply chains by erasing the last of small farmers.  
>  “Fossil fuels have driven how we grow our food and produce our clothing over the past century. Energy slaves have been used to displace the creative work of farmers who care for the land and craftspeople in creating beauty and culture,” explains Dr. Shiva.
>  
> The climate emergency we are facing today is part of several interlocking crises involving our health, our soils, ecosystems, our society and the biodiversity on the planet. It is a symptom of the broader ecological crisis being perpetuated by an extractivist and profit-driven system. It is not just the disruption of carbon cycles, but the disruption and rupture of many of the Earth’s cycles such as, the nitrogen cycle, water cycle, carbon cycle, air flow cycles and cycles of biodiverse life. 
>  
> This means that to understand how to slow, adapt and heal climate chaos, it is fundamental to understand how each of the planetary cycles is being ruptured and thrown off balance, and not just attempt to ‘solve’ carbon emissions. If we continue to reduce the climate narrative to simply an issue of reducing carbon emissions to ‘net zero’, without understanding and addressing the other aspects of greater ecological collapse, climate chaos will only continue. 
> Dr. Shiva reminds us, “Our ecological duty is to stop the harm, and prevent the greenwashing to regenerate the Living Earth, her ecosystems, our Seed Freedom and Food Freedom through Earth Democracy."
> Read full article <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3doYXQtaXMtbWlzc2luZy1mcm9tLXRoZS1jbGltYXRlLWRlYmF0ZS87O2YzMTQyNWYxMTJhMTUxZjNjYWUyNDM2NDQyNjlhMDZk>
> Additional Resources on Climate
>  
> The Nitrogen Problem in Agriculture <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3RoZS1uaXRyb2dlbi1wcm9ibGVtLWluLWFncmljdWx0dXJlLzs7MDdjMDRhYmI1ZjA4MTNjZDE2NmE3MWQ4MjQzYzQ3MDk%3D>, Dr Vandana Shiva, 7 July 2022
>  
> The Corporate Push for Synthetic Foods: False solutions that endanger our health and damage the planet <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3B1YmxpY2F0aW9ucy90aGUtY29ycG9yYXRlLXB1c2gtZm9yLXN5bnRoZXRpYy1mb29kcy87OzFjYmUxNTFmYTRlYzljYjNlNTU1Zjc2NGYxMDQyZGRm>, Navdanya International, March 2022
>  
> The age of fake food: a conversation with Satish Kumar and Vandana Shiva <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3RoZS1hZ2Utb2YtZmFrZS1mb29kLWEtY29udmVyc2F0aW9uLXdpdGgtc2F0aXNoLWt1bWFyLWFuZC12YW5kYW5hLXNoaXZhLzs7ZDc1NDY2ZjQyNzU4Y2Y0NTNjNzEyMmU4NDA4OWY1MDc%3D>, Navdanya International, 28 January 2022
>  
> Climate Change is Ecological Destruction: Greenwashing and false solutions at COP 26 <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL2dyZWVud2FzaGluZy1hbmQtZmFsc2Utc29sdXRpb25zLWF0LWNvcC0yNi87O2FmZGRhNDU1OTMzYzM5NDQxZjg2NDk2ZDQ0NDFmOTA3>, Navdanya international, 9 November 2021
>  
> Plants, Planet & People – The Living Earth and Climate Change <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmF2ZGFueWEub3JnL3BsYW50cywtcGxhbmV0LXBlb3BsZTs7MGY5NGZlMDg1MGQ4OTg1ZGU3ZTE4Njc2ZjJlMjNmZjg%3D>, Dr Vandana Shiva, Navdanya, October 2021
>  
> Webinar: Regeneration for Climate Resilience – Highlights <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3dlYmluYXItcmVnZW5lcmF0aW9uLWZvci1jbGltYXRlLXJlc2lsaWVuY2UtaGlnaGxpZ2h0cy87O2UzMmFkYjcwMWUxOWQ0ZTRhZGFmMTNkZmQ5ZDFkMmUy>, Navdanya International, 29 October 2021
>  
> “Carbon Capture”: Two World Views, Two Technology Paradigms, Two Economic Systems, Two Futures <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL2NhcmJvbi1jYXB0dXJlLXR3by13b3JsZC12aWV3cy10d28tdGVjaG5vbG9neS1wYXJhZGlnbXMtdHdvLWVjb25vbWljLXN5c3RlbXMtdHdvLWZ1dHVyZXMvOzs1YzhlZWY5MmQ2Y2ZjMDA3NWI4NDgwMmZiMzg1MzEyNg%3D%3D>, Dr Vandana Shiva, Navdanya, October 2021
>  
> UNFSS – Where Multinationals Continue to Design our Food Systems and Control our Diets <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3VuZnNzLXdoZXJlLW11bHRpbmF0aW9uYWxzLWNvbnRpbnVlLXRvLWRlc2lnbi1vdXItZm9vZC1zeXN0ZW1zLWFuZC1jb250cm9sLW91ci1kaWV0cy87OzFiMTlhYjcxZjhjNjY4MWRiY2ZjNjBiYTEwNTcwZDI5>, Navdanya International, July 2021
>  
> Which Future for our Climate? Technofixes vs Biodiversity-based solutions <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3doaWNoLWZ1dHVyZS1mb3Itb3VyLWNsaW1hdGUtaGlnaGxpZ2h0cy87OzdmNGFkMGVmNjM2MWYzYzM2ZDA3OGMyOWIwOTFmYWI4>, Navdanya International, 28 June 2021
>  
> Earth Democracy: Connecting the Rights of Mother Earth to People’s Rights and the Well-being of All <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3B1YmxpY2F0aW9ucy9lYXJ0aC1kZW1vY3JhY3ktY29ubmVjdGluZy1yaWdodHMtb2YtbW90aGVyLWVhcnRoLXRvLWh1bWFuLXJpZ2h0cy1hbmQtdGhlLXdlbGwtYmVpbmctb2YtYWxsLzs7NGQ0ZThiNzNhNmIwN2RiNzVhMDBhOTMzOTVlZTU4NzA%3D>, Navdanya, Mother Earth Day, 2021
>  
> Bill Gates & His Fake Solutions to Climate Change <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL2JpbGwtZ2F0ZXMtaGlzLWZha2Utc29sdXRpb25zLXRvLWNsaW1hdGUtY2hhbmdlLzs7NmEzMDlhZjc2NDVjZWU5OTFmYjA0M2EwZWU5ZjdlYzc%3D>, Navdanya International, April 2021
>  
> An Agroecological Transformation to Tackle Climate Change <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL2FuLWFncm9lY29sb2dpY2FsLXRyYW5zZm9ybWF0aW9uLXRvLXRhY2tsZS1jbGltYXRlLWNoYW5nZS87O2Q1OWZkNTQ2ODdjNDkzNzI3YWU1ZDQyZWY3NjA4OGU5>, Navdanya International, 2 March 2020
>  
> We Need Biodiversity-Based Agriculture to Solve the Climate Crisis <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3dlLW5lZWQtYmlvZGl2ZXJzaXR5LWJhc2VkLWFncmljdWx0dXJlLXRvLXNvbHZlLXRoZS1jbGltYXRlLWNyaXNpcy87O2JiZWVhMGU3YWZjYjk4MWNmZmZjMzIyM2E5ZjQxMDk5>, Dr Vandana Shiva, 22 September 2019
>  
> Seeds of Hope, Seeds of Resilience – How Biodiversity and Agroecology offer Solutions to Climate Change by Growing Living Carbon <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cDovL3d3dy5uYXZkYW55YS5vcmcvYXR0YWNobWVudHMvYXJ0aWNsZS82MTcvU2VlZHMtb2YtSG9wZS1SZXBvcnQtRG93bmxvYWQucGRmOztkNzM1Y2NlNjEyNjkxOGY3NDg4MjVlNzg3ZmM3OTE4Zg%3D%3D>, Navdanya, 2017
> 
> Soil Not Oil Conference 2017: Dr Vandana Shiva's keynote speech <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly95b3V0dS5iZS9EWk1TTlZNVTIwNDs7OWU2ZWIwYjZjZDg5MTE2MzA2OTk4OWE2NzgwYTljNmM%3D>
>  
> Manifesto TERRA VIVA. Our soil, Our Commons, Our Future <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3dwLWNvbnRlbnQvdXBsb2Fkcy8yMDE2LzA0L01hbmlmZXN0b19lbmdsaXNoLnBkZjs7YTI0ZjljZTE1YzFlZmIzYTNlYjY2N2ExNzQxZmNlMmM%3D>, Navdanya International, May 2015
>  
> Manifesto on Climate Change and the Future of Food Security <https://navdanyainternational.org/?nltr=NDY7MTIyNDA7aHR0cHM6Ly9uYXZkYW55YWludGVybmF0aW9uYWwub3JnL3dwLWNvbnRlbnQvdXBsb2Fkcy8yMDE2LzA0L2NsaW1hX2luZy5wZGY7OzlkMDVkOTQ1YTk3YzNlMWRiMDdhMDRlODBhZWVhNjI1>, International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture, 2008
> 
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