19.02.2020

World Food Security and Climate Change

Discussion with Franz Sinabell at the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture
In the event "World Food Security at Risk", which took place in Vienna on 10 February 2020, WIFO economist Franz Sinabell explained that the fight against climate change can only be successful with an efficient and innovative agriculture and forestry.

The primary goal is to extract as much CO2 as possible from the atmosphere and, if possible, to bind it in durable products without harming the environment. Many of the inputs and techniques that are also used in organic farming would have to be replaced by alternatives, many of which are still not yet available today.

A significant reduction in meat consumption, even a complete renunciation, would not be enough with current technology to free up the land needed to meet the future demands of a growing population. Fibres, building materials, components, plastics and energy sources are to be obtained in future mainly from biomass. This is only possible with a more productive agriculture that has access to the best technologies.

However, many of the levers that need to be moved are beyond the control of the agricultural sector. The waste of food could be reduced by higher prices, for example. However, agricultural policy has refrained from such a policy for more than a decade now.

Further information about the event can be found here.