THE Connect podcast: Interdisciplinary approaches to food security and climate change

In this episode of the THE Connect podcast, academics from Queen’s University Belfast explain how they are pursuing the development of more resilient food systems and supporting other sustainable initiatives

University research into sustainability isn’t about greenwashing or corporate buzzwords. It could impact your ability to put food on your plate. Academics at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) are working hard on initiatives to support the fight against climate collapse by developing more sustainable and resilient food systems.

In an episode of the THE Connect podcast, two academics at the forefront of research into biodiversity and food security spoke to host Ashton Wenborn about the launch of two co-centres at QUB.

Aedín Cassidy is the chair of nutrition and preventive medicine at QUB, as well as the director of interdisciplinary research at the university’s Institute for Global Food Security. Mark Emmerson, meanwhile, is a professor of biodiversity at QUB’s School of Biological Sciences, co-chair of the All-Island Climate and Biodiversity Research Network and vice-president of the British Ecological Society. 

“The impacts of climate change on food security are likely to be quite dramatic,” Emmerson explained. “Part of what we’re trying to understand is how we can mitigate the impacts of climate change. How can we reduce the emissions that come from the agricultural sector?” 

“If I start with the nutrition challenge, we know we need to shift the population to eating a more plant-rich diet and we also know that the plant-based food category is forecast to grow by a compound annual growth rate of about 28 per cent,” Cassidy said. “This would result in a 25 per cent reduction in the carbon footprint of our diet. There are improved health outcomes too. Our food systems are facing huge challenges. We’re working hard to address some of these.”

The work being undertaken by Emmerson and Cassidy will predominantly stem from their respective co-centres, which recently received £60 million in joint funding. Emmerson is part of the leadership team for the Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity and Water, while Cassidy will lead the Co-Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems. 

“Our co-centre on transforming food systems brings together world-leading researchers from institutions right across Ireland and the UK,” Cassidy said. “This wide range of research expertise, from food safety, production, nutrition, behavioural change, data science and governance, is what’s needed to really transform food systems.”

The importance of taking an interdisciplinary approach to such a grand challenge as food security was reinforced by Emmerson. “There are some similar structures that emerge from the way the co-centres have been conceived,” he noted. “Within the Climate + co-centre, we work on a nexus of global challenges. We know that if you address climate change, some of the measures will lead to co-benefits for biodiversity and water quality.”

The co-centre model is fundamental to managing interdisciplinary research while maintaining a tight focus on outcomes and impact. “The benefit is you’re drawing together disciplinary expertise but integrating it within a much broader approach,” Cassidy said.

That breadth can present challenges for both research design and solutions. However, these can be overcome by collaborating with industry partners, government policymakers and civic community groups to develop solutions that meet all stakeholder needs. “There are tensions but the whole point of the co-centres is to minimise these,” Emmerson said. 

The value of taking a grassroots approach and fostering hyper-local engagement is clear for both co-centres. “This is something we are very excited about,” explained Cassidy. “We’ve got a plan involving training, education and events for members of the public, academics, policymakers and industry to convey the urgency around transforming food systems, as well as which elements need to be changed. This ethos has been embedded throughout all our research programmes.”

Listen to the podcast episode. 

Find out more about Queen’s University Belfast.