Page 57 - FAO-IPCC Expert meeting on climate change

Policies for land use, sustainable food production and consumption and climate action
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If ecological principles are appropriately embedded in the equation, the question that arises is: How these would impact on an economic approach to climate change? In terms of ecological economics, humans are part of social, cultural
and ecosystems and the economy is a subset of a larger sustaining ecosystem. Technology, therefore, becomes a social process with distribution a goal rather than a given; where justice is prioritized and incorporated into the climate economy system model. Such analysis offers a dramatically different set of responses than if one were to prioritize efficiency. The complementarity of inputs becomes evident as a necessity in terms of land, materials and energy globally, which are not substitutes. While the input of use efficiency can be improved, this also is limited by the barrier of complementarity. Behavioural economics contributes a better understanding of how groups think strategically. Institutions matter and the key challenge is to structure the institution so that it can make markets work more efficiently and effectively and to ensure that economic systems perform as expected.
By fully taking on board the science of ecology at the policy level, the economy becomes a biophysical system that operates on low-entropy matter and energy. If energy were the fundamental metric to measure the sustainability of the food production system, modern agriculture would become less and less energy-efficient over decades to come. More total energy levels are needed to produce food calories than previously. A study of the United States energy food system from 1910 to 1970 found that the total energy input to produce food calories increased over time. Throughout the process, the major energy trade-off is labour. As more energy is used, there is less need for labour. Reversing this equation may create an agricultural system that could be considered climate smart.
In summary, energy is one of the key metrics to consider within a reframed sustainable agro-ecological system. It is
essential that a trajectory be sought, at the global level, to enable the decrease of energy input per food calorie output, the strengthening of food resilience and perhaps a solution to the overconsumption of food calories, as well as the redistribution of food. Sustainability should be a priority, given that productivity alone is not sufficient (Jevons paradox). Productivity gains should come hand in hand with regulatory forces and regulation that is equally applied to all can only create incentivization.
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FAO-IPCC Expert meeting on climate change, land use and food security