Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities
Ensuring urban food security while reducing carbon emissions from food systems is a key challenge. Food localization can reduce transport emissions; however, its role in agricultural production emissions reductions is unclear. Here, we explored the effects of localization of seven perishables, incor...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Elsevier
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173600 |
| _version_ | 1855537502688903168 |
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| author | Lin, Xintao Qian, Jianping Chen, Jian Yu, Qiangyi You, Liangzhi Chen, Qian Li, Jiali Xiao, Pengnan Jiang, Jingyi |
| author_browse | Chen, Jian Chen, Qian Jiang, Jingyi Li, Jiali Lin, Xintao Qian, Jianping Xiao, Pengnan You, Liangzhi Yu, Qiangyi |
| author_facet | Lin, Xintao Qian, Jianping Chen, Jian Yu, Qiangyi You, Liangzhi Chen, Qian Li, Jiali Xiao, Pengnan Jiang, Jingyi |
| author_sort | Lin, Xintao |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Ensuring urban food security while reducing carbon emissions from food systems is a key challenge. Food localization can reduce transport emissions; however, its role in agricultural production emissions reductions is unclear. Here, we explored the effects of localization of seven perishables, incorporating emissions from production and cold-chain logistics, in Beijing and Shanghai, China; determined decarbonization under different scenarios by increasing or decreasing the localization, with or without constrains, of each food category (balancing strategy). The results show that every 1% increase in the localization of vegetables, poultry, and aquatic products decreased 2020 emissions by 0.4–1.9 tCO2e, but for beef and lamb, it increased emissions by 0.2–2.9 tCO2e. Localization decreased cold-chain emission shares for all foods. The balancing strategy with constraints reduced emissions by 0.76 MtCO2e (5%) and 0.44 MtCO2e (2%) in 2020 in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. Utilizing urban agriculture at all costs (i.e., without constraints) further reduced emissions by a factor of 3–4. Over 90% of Beijing’s emissions added by 2035 under the business-as-usual scenario were projected to be offset by the strategy. In Shanghai, the strategy could reduce emissions by an additional 0.44 MtCO2e. The results indicate that expanding imports of carbon-intensive ruminant meat to replace local production and reallocating urban resources to vegetables, poultry, and aquatic products could lead to more sustainable food supplies in megacities. Further development of cold-chain logistics is expected to reduce emissions in synergy with the balancing strategy. Our results could help inform better food system planning in megacities. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace173600 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1736002025-12-19T20:21:14Z Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities Lin, Xintao Qian, Jianping Chen, Jian Yu, Qiangyi You, Liangzhi Chen, Qian Li, Jiali Xiao, Pengnan Jiang, Jingyi food security urban areas agricultural production emission carbon cold chains Ensuring urban food security while reducing carbon emissions from food systems is a key challenge. Food localization can reduce transport emissions; however, its role in agricultural production emissions reductions is unclear. Here, we explored the effects of localization of seven perishables, incorporating emissions from production and cold-chain logistics, in Beijing and Shanghai, China; determined decarbonization under different scenarios by increasing or decreasing the localization, with or without constrains, of each food category (balancing strategy). The results show that every 1% increase in the localization of vegetables, poultry, and aquatic products decreased 2020 emissions by 0.4–1.9 tCO2e, but for beef and lamb, it increased emissions by 0.2–2.9 tCO2e. Localization decreased cold-chain emission shares for all foods. The balancing strategy with constraints reduced emissions by 0.76 MtCO2e (5%) and 0.44 MtCO2e (2%) in 2020 in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. Utilizing urban agriculture at all costs (i.e., without constraints) further reduced emissions by a factor of 3–4. Over 90% of Beijing’s emissions added by 2035 under the business-as-usual scenario were projected to be offset by the strategy. In Shanghai, the strategy could reduce emissions by an additional 0.44 MtCO2e. The results indicate that expanding imports of carbon-intensive ruminant meat to replace local production and reallocating urban resources to vegetables, poultry, and aquatic products could lead to more sustainable food supplies in megacities. Further development of cold-chain logistics is expected to reduce emissions in synergy with the balancing strategy. Our results could help inform better food system planning in megacities. 2025-06 2025-03-12T21:14:39Z 2025-03-12T21:14:39Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173600 en Open Access Elsevier Lin, Xintao; Qian, Jianping; Chen, Jian; Yu, Qiangyi; You, Liangzhi; Chen, Qian; et al. 2025. Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities. Resources, Environment and Sustainability 20(June 2025): 100206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100206 |
| spellingShingle | food security urban areas agricultural production emission carbon cold chains Lin, Xintao Qian, Jianping Chen, Jian Yu, Qiangyi You, Liangzhi Chen, Qian Li, Jiali Xiao, Pengnan Jiang, Jingyi Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities |
| title | Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities |
| title_full | Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities |
| title_fullStr | Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities |
| title_short | Potential decarbonization for balancing local and non-local perishable food supply in megacities |
| title_sort | potential decarbonization for balancing local and non local perishable food supply in megacities |
| topic | food security urban areas agricultural production emission carbon cold chains |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173600 |
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