Netherlands Case Study
In The Netherlands, the Partnership aims to explore nexus-informed pathways towards circular and ‘nature inclusive’ food systems.
Overview
- Environmental System Analysis (ESA) of the WUR
- Analyse, interpret, simulate complex environmental problems to understand causes, effects and solutions
- Communication to stakeholders.
- One key research topic: ecosystem services and biodiversity
- PBL – Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
- Prime institute to support Dutch government
- Conducting outlook studies, analyses & evaluations for environmental policy, using an integrated approach
- Two senior staff + PhD student and Msc students
Background
- Vulnerable food production systems on land and at sea to climate change.
- Hotspots of biodiversity
- Threats from human activities such as urbanization, agriculture activities and climate change.
- New policy concept of “nature-inclusive”, “circular” farming;
- Similar policy goals are set for fisheries under the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policies.
Aim of the Dutch Case Study
- Develop integrated scenarios for the FCB nexus
- Explore nexus-informed pathways towards circular and “nature inclusive” food systems;
- The Netherlands and Western Europe.
General Approach
- Review, harmonize and build upon existing scenario studies and outlooks on the environment, nature and food production sectors;
- Stakeholder consultation and participation;
- National and European scales;
- Consequences and trade-offs.
- Construct integrated environmental scenarios for NL;
- Inventory of models and data, and selection of appropriate models;
- Construct pathways towards ‘nature-inclusive’ climate smart, healthy food-systems;
- Analyse levers and barriers to achieve a natureinclusive society;
- Towards the synthesis – integration / linkage to other case studies.
Impacts
- Representation of plausible futures of ‘nature-inclusive’ food systems;
- Guidance to policy-makers and stakeholders on socioeconomic and/or policy transitions;
- Application of the nexus approach to solve FCB challenges in well-developed economies.
Milestones
- Synthesis of existing scenarios for nature inclusive food systems (year 2);
- Inventory of existing models and data and discussion of their applicability and needed adjustments (year 1);
- Portfolio of plausible pathways and associated trade-offs (year 4);
- Guidelines to transition towards ‘nature-inclusive’ food systems, for policy-makers and stakeholders based on the shared visions (year 5)
Team
Rob Alkemade
Wageningen University
Solen Le Clec’h
Wageningen University
