SAPEA publishes its Sustainability Plan#
Academia Europaea and its Cardiff Knowledge Hub have led the work on sustainability planning for the future strategic development of SAPEA.
SAPEA
(Science for Policy by European Academies) has published its sustainability plan, which lays out a roadmap for the consortium’s future development in providing evidence for the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors.
Overseen by Academia Europaea, work on the plan started in 2018. An interim report was prepared last year, with a final report published in June 2020.
The plan outlines SAPEA’s achievements since the consortium‘s inception in 2016, as well as establishing objectives for the future, highlighting four strategic priorities.
Read the plan
.#
“Academia Europaea was extremely pleased to lead the work package on sustainability planning. We did so efficiently, delivering an attractive report that summarises SAPEA’s successes to date whilst also setting out some of SAPEA’s areas of focus for the future. I am particularly grateful to Professor Günter Stock MAE, who accepted our invitation to chair the working group.”
“I was delighted to represent Academia Europaea on the working group that developed the sustainability plan. It was a pleasure to serve under Professor Günter Stock’s very effective leadership.”
Covid-19 and our food: How is the current crisis affecting how we eat?, 2 July 2020 at 15:00 (CEST)#
The first of the series of webinars discussed changes of consumers’ attitudes towards food as a public good instead of as a commodity. It confronted the conclusions of the SAPEA report with the challenges and changes observed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This webinar was co-hosted by Hubbub, a UK-based sustainability organisation, a UK-based sustainability organisation.
Lead speakers#
- Professor Anna Davies, Trinity College Dublin
- Aoife Allen, Hubbub
Additional contribution#
- Camille Perrin, European Consumer Organisation
Moderator#
- Michael Creek, Stickydot
Sustainable food system webinars#
Co-hosted by high-profile partners, this series of short webinars will explore different aspects of Europe’s food system following the publication of our evidence review report, A sustainable food system for the European Union and the associated scientific opinion of the European Commission’s Chief Scientific Advisors.#
SAPEA’s comprehensive review of the evidence on Europe’s food system finds that it is not enough simply to increase productivity in a sustainable way. We also need to change from linear mass consumption to a more circular economy — which will mean changing our norms, habits and routines.
SAPEA is launching a series of webinars discussing how to shift to a more sustainable food system. While each of the webinars will focus on a different topic, all of them will take our recent report A sustainable food system for the EU and the associated scientific opinion as a starting-point for the discussions.
To discuss the evidence review report and its implications for food policy at European, national and regional level, this series of online debates will examine a range of important topics, including:
- Covid-19 and our food (with Hubbub). Register now. 2 July 2020 at 15:00 (CEST).
- European policy and the EU’s Farm2Fork strategy (with the EU Food Policy Coalition)
- The role of agroecology, technology and intensification in sustainability (with a European academy, to be confirmed)
Titles and topics are provisional, and more will be added to this list as the details are confirmed for each webinar.
SAPEA Evidence Review Report on “A Sustainable Food System for the EU” published#
SAPEA Evidence Review Report on “A Sustainable Food System for the EU” has been published today, Thursday 09th April 2020. Please follow this link to find the Report and all relevant documents, including the systematic review on the policy landscape: https://www.sapea.info/topics/sustainable-food. #
Food lies at the heart of our lives. It is vital for our survival, and links us to our natural and social environment in a unique way. But our food system is unsustainable. How can we ensure future food security without treating people unfairly or leaving them behind?
Food systems have complex social, economic and ecological components, and radical transformation is needed to make them sustainable. This report from SAPEA lays out the science on how that transition can happen in an inclusive, just and timely way.
What the report says#
The global demand for food will increase in the future. To meet this demand, it is not enough simply to increase productivity in a sustainable way. We also need to change from linear mass consumption to a more circular economy — which will mean changing our norms, habits and routines.
The evidence shows that this kind of behaviour change needs to happen collectively, not just individually. So we need joined-up governance at local, national and international levels.
Food systems also contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. This can be addressed by reducing waste or directing it back into the supply chain.
A mix of different measures will be most effective. The evidence shows that taxation is one of the most effective ways to modify behaviour. Accreditation and labelling schemes can also have an impact.
Meanwhile, reform of European agriculture and fisheries policies offer great opportunities to develop resilience and sustainability.
But there is not yet enough evidence to know for sure exactly what works in practice, so the steps we take should be carefully evaluated, and trade-offs anticipated.
SAPEA - Science Advice for Policy by European Academies#
OFFICIAL SITE: https://www.sapea.info
Spanning the disciplines of engineering, humanities, medicine, natural sciences and social sciences, SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) brings together the outstanding knowledge and expertise of Fellows from over 100 Academies, Young Academies and Learned Societies in over 40 countries across Europe.
Working closely with the European Commission Scientific Advice Mechanism High Level Group of Scientific Advisors
(HLG), SAPEA provides timely, independent and evidence-based scientific expertise for the highest policy level in Europe and for the wider public.
SAPEA is part of the European Commission Scientific Advice Mechanism
(SAM) which provides independent scientific advice to the College of European Commissioners to support their decision making. Academia Europaea and SAM.
The project is funded through a grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme running from November 2016-October 2020.
The coordination of Academia Europaea's involvement in the SAPEA project is managed by the Cardiff Knowledge Hub
.
EVENTS, ACTIVITIES AND STATEMENTS#
- Sustainability Plan published. The plan outlines SAPEA’s achievements since the consortium‘s inception in 2016, as well as establishing objectives for the future, highlighting four strategic priorities. June 2020.
- Sustainable food system webinars, 2 July 2020.
- A Sustainable Food System for the EU, SAPEA Evidence Review Report, published. 9 April 2020.
- Making Sense of Science for Policy - panel discussion at University of Cambridge, Magdalene College Cambridge, United Kingdom, 30 January 2020
- Evidence in policymaking, 27 September 2019
- Evidence Review Report: "Making sense of science for policy under conditions of complexity and uncertainty", press release, 9 July 2019
- Transforming the Future of Ageing Report, 27 June 2019
- SAPEA provides evidence for the European Commission on Food from the Oceans, press release, Thursday 30 November 2017
- Food from the Oceans, February 2017
- European academy networks launch Horizon 2020-funded SAPEA project: Science Advice for Policy by European Academies, December 13, 2017
- Joint conference of the European Commission and International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA), 29th-30th September 2016, Brussels
The text in this press release reflects only the author’s view. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
