2s2: Assessing risk and building resilience to accelerate the transition towards circular food systems

Abstract

There is potential for circular food systems to improve quality of life for humans, farmed animals, and ecosystems. However, increasing  circularity in the food system brings with it novel risks that should be managed to avoid negative unintended consequences. Under circularity, the interconnectivity of food subsystems is likely to increase. For example, waste streams are proposed to be used as feed or fertilizer.  Creating such loops brings novel risks that may become reinforcing. Risk is interdependent across system scales and may related to animal welfare, pollution, spread of disease, or international trade. If these risks are not identified and managed, the project of circular food systems  may be undermined.