What's your deadline...for sustainability?

When you get closer to a deadline, you get moving. Some work better, faster and become more focused. As a journalist I recognize this only too well. We are now approaching the first biggest deadline ever: 2030.?

By this year, we have to turn the tide on climate change, for good. Without reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, global warming will surpass 1.5°C in the following decades, leading to irreversible loss for nature, animals and human societies. In other words, we are in a race to safeguard the survival of our species. Plan B is to leave planet Earth. By 2030, we will most probably start exploring and colonizing Mars (Elon Musk wants to send human beings to Mars in 2026). As a reminder: Mars is a planet with no oxygen, food or water.

Ok, let's focus on fixing our planet first. A place far more comfortable than the red planet, only if we treat it right and not take all the resources for granted. The year 2030 always looked so far away, it was kind of the future. Yet, it is only 9 years from now. I feel that this is the reason why everyone is suddenly waking up, starts moving and becomes more focused. We are simply getting closer to the deadline.?

2030: Reduction is key

The year 2030 is prominent in many documents, reports, mandates and agreements. Focus is on 3 things: reduction, reduction and reduction of the damage. A few important recent ones are:

• United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (2015): 17 ambitious goals to create a better world by 2030. An example of a target in Goal 2 (End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture) for 2030 is to ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
• The Paris Agreement (2016): The U.S. aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. The EU aims for at least 55% reduction by 2030 compared to 1990.
• Global Biodiversity Framework (2021): The framework includes 21 targets for 2030 that call for, among other things: Reducing nutrients lost to the environment by at least half, and pesticides by at least two thirds, and eliminating the discharge of plastic waste.
• Global Methane Pledge (2021): An initiative between the U.S. and EU to cut at least 30% from global methane emissions, based on 2020 levels, by 2030. In total, 9 countries are now participating in the Pledge, representing about 30% of global methane emissions and 60% of the global economy.?

2050: Net zero is the norm

If we can reach the targets and reduce emissions, the next important deadline on the agenda is 2050. This is the year where the world's net emissions must fall to zero.?I feel that for this deadline, the industry (besides governments and NGO’s) are more outspoken, hence some of the bold statements of some companies to become net zero way earlier than 2050. A few big companies in the food chain have published their goals:

• Maple Leaf Foods: Carbon neutral in 2019 ?
• Burger King: Net zero by 2030
• AB Agri Group: Net zero by 2030
• Tesco: Net zero by 2035
• Unilever: Net zero by 2039
• McDonalds: Net zero by 2050
• Tyson Foods: Net zero by 2050
• Danone: Net zero by 2050
• Nestlé: Net zero by 2050

The world is clearly transitioning to a zero-carbon economy. More companies that have set zero net goals can be found here. At the same time, we have to be aware of what the companies really mean. Net zero, carbon zero, carbon neutral and climate positive can be slightly different things.

As sustainable as the weakest link

The feed to food chain has an important role to play in reaching both the 2030 and 2050 climate goals. It starts with reducing methane by 2030 and fairly short term actions can be taken to make this happen. Some climate actions take more time, such as restoring soils, carbon sequestration by plants, implementation of renewable energy and bringing back biodiversity on farms. One thing is clear: technology and innovation should be part of each company's strategic (climate) roadmap. At the recent AgriVision conference, organized by Trouw Nutrition and Nutreco, sustainability and climate change was high on the agenda. CEO of Nutreco, Fulco van Lede addressed in his opening speech that reducing our carbon footprint? may look like a moral obligation today, it may soon become a legal obligation. This can only be successful through innovation, technologies, courage and cooperation with all stakeholders across the value chain. Jason Clay from the WWF empowered these words and said: “Cooperation is probably the biggest change we have to make in the coming years, yet pivotal to create a more sustainable food system. Otherwise, you are only as sustainable as the least sustainable link in your network”.