Ph.D. candidate: Kimberly Colgan
Advisor: Jason Hill, Ph.D.
Abstract: Global food systems contribute about a third of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the need for the rapid reduction of emissions from food systems to meet climate goals is well established. In this dissertation, I (1) describe the current state of knowledge for past and future global food system-related GHG emission estimates; (2) use a systems framework to explore expert recommendations for mitigating food system emissions; and (3) consider how interventions to mitigate food system emissions might affect the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In
my first chapter, I find that existing estimates of global food system GHG emissions are often presented without sufficient detail to readily inform actionable mitigation options. Additionally, projections of future emissions systematically exclude post-production
stages and thus underestimate potential food system climate impacts. In my second chapter, I identify a mismatch between calls by experts for transformational change to mitigate GHG emissions from food systems and the specific interventions proposed to
accomplish this goal. I also show that systems change frameworks can be used to develop recommendations that better support transformational change. In my third chapter, I show that commonly proposed interventions to mitigate food system emissions
frequently support environmental- and economic-focused SDGs, but not necessarily justice-centered SDGs. This suggests that inclusive mitigation interventions that are designed to consider all the SDGs from the onset are more likely to bring us closer to the transformational food system changes necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, achieve sustainable diets, and reduce inequalities in our food systems. Overall, my findings suggest that climate change mitigation efforts would benefit from improved communication of what drives global food system emissions, the use of a systems framework in evaluating mitigation options, and simultaneous consideration of climate mitigation and broader sustainability goals.
PhD Defense Seminar was held Thursday, May 12th, 2022