The Limits of Persuasion

by Keith Iding, NW VEG

Given that a growing majority of humans are recognizing the reality of climate change, what are the options to work together to respond to this ever-worsening crisis? A small group of Swedish researchers this year have formed a work group and published plans to identify how to most effectively influence individual food choices as one pathway. “The global food system causes immense environmental impacts. Production of food is responsible for more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions, a third of terrestrial acidification and almost 80% of aquatic eutrophication globally. Further, food production requires large amounts of water and land. Agricultural land conversion for food production is one of the largest contributors to biodiversity loss. These production-related impacts are driven by food consumption patterns… food is amongst the most impactful consumption categories in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions.”

The research will identify “what interventions, at any level, can most effectively change public consumption patterns to achieve environmentally sustainable food consumption?”

In the context of the U.S., how would or should we go about finding acceptable “interventions” to modify our consumption patterns, once the existing political systems acknowledge that there is a problem? Where do we start?

Intervention categories being considered fall into Administrative, Market based, Information based, and Behavioral.

Administrative includes passing laws and directives, monitoring status, and imposing sanctions for unwanted outcomes. Market based approaches include the economic influences of taxing, subsidies and setting prices, which would be considered collaborative. Information based approaches can be voluntary, mandatory, or collaborative, involving labeling, information campaigns, public discussions such as roundtables, and mandatory market regulation controls. Behavioral influences are considered "nudging" but could involve serving size rationing and "choice editing." This study is being done to evaluate piecemeal approaches being done globally toward more sustainable outcomes in food systems but which lack follow up and comparative analysis for effectiveness. The product of the research will be an effectiveness map to be shared and used by all countries committed to slowing climate change and environmental degradation caused by the impacts of our agricultural habits, to pull together a consistent model to use in setting policy.

The proposal originated from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the Stockholm Environmental Institute, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, but already involves many committed contributors. It was published as an open source document under Creative Commons licensing to enable global collaboration.

How will this shared model influence food habits and agriculture in the U.S. as it becomes available? We are in extremely dire straits as a major leading influence on climate through our trade and consumption roles in an ever growing world population that has reached the end point of sustainability. At what level should essential change take place? So much of what we do is habit, repeating behaviors to establish consistency. What is the best way to interrupt the routines with the most cooperation? How much imposed change will we tolerate socially to achieve outcomes? Who should take the lead in changing our food habits? Is that better achieved voluntarily through grassroots groups such as NW VEG, or will individual freedoms of choice have to give way out of the necessity of crisis?

The full study proposal can be found at: https://environmentalevidencejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13750-022-00271-1