£1.1m spent by Scots Gov on ‘misguided’ climate change food initiative
Senior Scots academics criticise costly ‘green recovery’ measures initiated by Community Climate Asset Fund
OVER one-third of the Scottish Government’s £3.2 million funding to curb greenhouse gases has been spent on a “misguided” measure that some experts say will not have a major impact on climate change.
Some £1.12m of the Community Climate Asset Fund (CCAF) set up to support “the green recovery” has been designated to projects aimed at growing local food.
But while schools across Scotland have been drawn into the “grow local” drive, some experts say that the eating local recommendation has a negligible effect.
Eating locally only has a significant impact if transport was responsible for a large share of food’s final carbon footprint.
But some experts say that for most foods this is not the case.
Dr Hannah Ritchie, who is a senior researcher and head of research with Our World In Data, believes that greenhouse gas emissions from transportation make up a very small amount of the emissions from food – and what we eat is far more important than our your food has travelled from.
The University of Edinburgh graduate, a specialist in global food systems, is also a senior researcher at the University of Oxford and has questioned the “eating local” mantra in her own analysis.
Our World in Data analysis shows that the distance our food travels to get to us actually accounts for 6 per cent of most food products’ carbon footprint.
Processes on farms and changes in land use typically account for much more of the emissions from food. Dairy, meat and eggs alone accounted for 83%.
A meta-analysis of global food systems to date which examined more than 38,000 commercial farms in 119 countries found there were huge differences in greenhouse gas emissions of different foods.
Producing a kilogram of beef emitted 60 kilograms of greenhouse gases, while peas emitted just one kilogram per kilogram.
‘May not help’
A STUDY, published in Science and led by Joseph Poore and Thomas Nemecek from three years ago found that contrary to popular belief sourcing food locally may not help greenhouse gas emissions in a very significant way, especially in the case of foods with a large carbon footprint.
Eating local beef or lamb is said to have many times the carbon footprint of most other foods.
But transport typically accounts for less than 1% of beef’s emissions.
Dr Ritchie said in a data analysis: “There is rightly a growing awareness that our diet and food choices have a significant impact on our carbon ‘footprint’. What can you do to really reduce the carbon footprint of your breakfast, lunches, and dinner?
“‘Eating local’ is a recommendation you hear often – even from prominent sources. While it might make sense intuitively – after all, transport does lead to emissions – it is one of the most misguided pieces of advice.
“Eating locally would only have a significant impact if transport was responsible for a large share of food’s final carbon footprint. For most foods, this is not the case.
“GHG emissions from transportation make up a very small amount of the emissions from food.”
The Scottish Government announced the £3.2m climate action fund in January and said that a total of 279 projects would get support. Some 172 of the projects received funding for growing food, accounting for £1.12m of the CCAF.
Of the projects funded for growing food, 112 schools and nurseries were successful in applying for grants of under £10,000.
Funding was used to cover the purchase of polytunnels, sheds and greenhouses, soil and peat-free compost, composting bins, trees and wheelbarrows.
Keep Scotland Beautiful said its link with schools, through the international Eco-Schools programme, has also allowed it to provide support, resources and webinars linking food growing and the learning associated with this to climate change and the wider curriculum, for education and learning for sustainability agenda.
‘Tangible support’
WHEN the fund was launched, thenclimate change secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “Communities across the country are playing a vital role in responding to the pandemic crisis and in maintaining our resilience, our sense of spirit and our local support network. In what remains an exceptionally difficult time for us all, this funding is providing fast, tangible support to deliver longlasting benefits to community-based organisations while also helping them tackle climate change as we accelerate our just transition to a net-zero society.
While it might make sense intuitively – after all, transport does lead to emissions – ‘eating local’ is one of the most misguided pieces of advice
“I am particularly pleased that the successful recipients of the Community Climate Asset Fund come from right across the country, meaning many thousands of people will benefit from the projects and help play their part in ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change.”
Among the successful recipients flagged up by the Scottish Government was Fair Isle Primary School which was awarded £1,658 to purchase foodgrowing and composting equipment “to help reduce carbon emissions” by growing fruits and vegetables, and producing compost at the school.
Carbon footprint
ACCORDING to Dr Ritchie’s 2020 study, eating local beef or lamb has many times the carbon footprint of most other foods. Whether they are grown locally or shipped from the other side of the world matters very little for total emissions.
“Transport typically accounts for less than 1% of beef’s GHG emissions – choosing to eat local has very minimal effects on its total footprint,” she said. “You might think this figure is strongly dependent on where in the world you live, and how far your beef will have to travel, but it doesn’t make a lot of difference. Whether you buy it from the farmer next door or from far away, it is not the location that makes the carbon footprint of your dinner large, but the fact that it is beef.”
While the impact of transport is small for most products, there was one exception – those which travel by air.
But very little food is air-freighted, accounting for only 0.16% of food miles.
A spokesman for Keep Scotland Beautiful, which is overseeing the fund, said: “The Community Climate Asset Fund (CCAF) supported communitybased organisations providing an invaluable response to Covid-19 in Scotland. It also recognised the prominent role communities have to play in achieving a green recovery.
“The UK Climate Change Committee identified the need for significant behaviour change with regard to reducing food waste and increasing the percentage of locally-produced seasonal food that people eat. Food-growing projects with young people are an important element supporting that change.
“There was a surge in food growing and gardening during lockdown and this is reflected by the large number of applications to support local foodgrowing to CCAF. The excellent take-up of the grant from schools and nurseries will reignite and reconnect young people to their environment, supporting them to understand the links between the food they eat, where it has come from, where it is grown, the impacts on our climate, and the choices they can make.”
The scheme was established as part of Scotland’s commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
The nation’s efforts in tackling climate change are under the spotlight with the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, scheduled to be held in Glasgow from November 1 to 12. Last week, the Scottish Government launched a major TV, radio and digital campaign called Let’s do Net Zero to highlight the benefits a net-zero society would bring to the economy, health and the environment.
At the launch it said capital investment of £1.9 billion will be spent on low-carbon projects in 2021/22 to tackle climate change and create green jobs.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Community Climate Asset Fund has been designed to build the long-term capacity of community-based organisations to respond to the climate emergency and encourage the societal changes we need to achieve this.
“Our journey to net zero represents an opportunity not just to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change but to improve our health and wellbeing, and create a better future for everyone – regardless of where they live, what they do, and who they are.
“Communities have a critical role to play in this journey. Local food-growing projects can act as a stimulus for wider climate action by providing the means through which people can come together, re-engage with nature, and identify actions that align with the needs of their local community.”