Abstract:
Urbanization stabilizes during this century and 85% will reside in urban areas. Cities become hotspots for food demand and vast volumes of wastewater, excreta and organic waste. Most planetary boundaries are already transgressed and we search for improved human and environmental health while maintaining food security.
Consolidated global data on resources and various causes of environmental degradation allow us to conjure future resources restrictions as well as potential remedies to transgression of our Earth’s boundaries. Food production occupies half of the habitable area and consumption is a major contributor to global environmental degradation. Engaging urbanites to revise diets, reduce food waste, providing facilitating urban infrastructure and less chemicals can shrink agricultural land use by more than half – and proportionally reduce environmental degradation such as GHG emissions and biodiversity losses and still feed the world. Recycled urban-derived nutrients can replace one-third of chemical fertilisers and close resource gaps.
Keywords: planetary boundaries, environmental degradation, urbanization, nutrient recycling, healthy diets, food security.
Audience Take Away:
- Make visible the connection between what we eat and the environmental degradation
- Individual actions can improve environmental sustainability
- Provides a guide for decision-makers when designing measures to curb pollution
- Reducing degradation and biodiversity losses takes time
