The working group Brabant’s Circular Party is part of the Food1000 initiative by the Province of North-Brabant (https://www.brabantse-agrofood2020.nl/samenwerking/voedsel1000/default.aspx) – the first bottom-up citizen-driven approach towards building a more sustainable food system.
Brabant’s Circular Party is:
Josien Boll, Jacqueline van Eerd, Jan Jacobs, Marian Langens Minke Siemensma, Martijn Stevens & Dirk Wascher
Summary
1. Our proposal: A circular food system will become the new main stream
Imagine a future world in which circular food systems have become the new normality. The choice for circular production will automatically be the most sustainable, economically viable and most convincing choice.
Waste will no longer exist. Everyone is going to be consumer as well as producer. After a meaningful (re-)use resources will be given back in good order to mother earth. Nutrient and carbon-circles will be closed, just as the financial system.
Those who add value to society will be rewarded – those who pollute or spoil the earth will have to pay the price.
2. What is going to be the contribution – human in balance with earth
The natural system of the earth – even at the regional level – is cyclic. A circular economy fits to such a system. A circular food system is sustainable.
Next to a future-proof system our proposal will deliver:
- Healthy food for a honest price,
- Higher biodiversity and functional natural areas,
- Regionally characteristic landscapes,
- Clean water, soils and air,
- Healthy and more beautiful environments,
- New business models, and
- A solution for climate change problems
3. What will be costs?
Financial streams will need tob e organised differently!
In today’s linear economic system, costs deriving from damage to nature, health, water- and air quality are burdens of public budgets and with this for each citizen in Netherlands. Currently these costs are huge. Think of the costs for healthcare, water clean-up, restoration of natural areas, measures for adapting to the changing climate and costs needed to fight global warming. Our proposal is to not burden the wider public with these costs, but only the polluter. Those who add values to the system will be financially rewarded. One way of realizing this goals is True Pricing.
During the transition phase (3-5 years) it will be important to financially support key innovative and sustainable business models with some seed money (ca. €15-20 million). In addition we propose a PR-campaign for a period of 3 years (ca. €150.000,-). Finally we see the need for a strategic plan that is based on reliable data regarding the biomass streams of North-Brabant ( ca. €100.000,-).
