2 April 2024

13:30 – 15:05

Amphi 4

Nancy Rossi

Nancy Rossi is a researcher with the Groupe d’études et de recherche sur l’international et le Québec and a doctoral student at ÉNAP. Her academic work focuses on international relations between Canada and European Union (EU) countries, and on economic multilateralism. Her thesis focuses on the protection of French and Italian geographical indications in EU free trade agreements. Nancy produces extra virgin olive oil in Italy and exports it to Quebec.

Debate: What are the challenges involved in decarbonizing the agri-food sector?

As we face up to the realities and urgency of climate change, we all need to take action, including the agri-food sector. This exercise must integrate the entire sector – from production to the plate – in a dynamic of maximum circularity. The logical outcome is to apply the 3 RVEs (Reduction at Source, Reuse, Recycling and Recovery) for a low-carbon economy, with the aim of making the sector carbon neutral. This goal requires the mobilization of the public, and in particular of all players in the supply chain. It is important to remember that one of the industry’s priorities is to offer decarbonized products with the lowest carbon footprint. Signals from investors, the general public and export markets favor this trend. We are seeing a number of trends gathering pace, including the need to look at and apply a cocktail of different protein choices (animal, vegetable, proteins and alternatives), which are inescapable and intimately linked. The way things are done will have to be reviewed and rethought, in terms of financial models, business models, governance and new technological trends. Strengthening supply chains, short circuits, local purchasing, low-carbon farms, green fertilizers, new technologies and AI, are all major themes. Building bridges and seeking out best practices from around the world are key to meeting these challenges. Action must be taken both globally and locally, through rapid, concrete achievements.