The food system is undergoing a period of rapid transformation. It is the primary or secondary driver of the environmental crises we face yet is the most exposed to environmental harm such as climate-change-driven extreme weather events. Transforming the food system will mean large-scale changes in diets, technology, labour, investment and more. Here, we will trace some of the contours of a just food system transformation in the UK and explore ways in which economic modelling can help in a just transition towards a more sustainable future for food.
About the speaker
Paul’s research focusses on the implications of rapid food system transformations in a rapidly changing world.
There is an urgent need for a Great Food Transformation to reduce environmental harm and to increase food system resilience. Paul is working on integrated models to assess the environmental and social impacts of such a transition on both consumers and producers. His research program explores the social outcomes of this transformation—from changes in subsidies and land management to increasing food security.
Paul is the author of the popular science book, The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: Futures from the Frontiers of Climate Science (Indigo Press, 2021) which describes humanity’s current trajectory and possible futures in paired chapters of pessimism and hope. His research and writing on climate, energy, and food, has appeared in scientific journals and media outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Thomson Reuters, Politico, Nature Sustainability, Nature Energy, PNAS, Nature Food, and Nature Communications. He is an editor and author of the interdisciplinary textbook Food and Sustainability (Oxford University Press, 2020). Paul won International Champion in the Frontiers Planet Prize in 2023.
Accessibility information
Please note, the main lift at Manor Road Building is currently out of action.
If you require lift access, please go to Reception where Facilities Maintenance (FM) staff will escort users through the library to the Phase 2 lift accessed via the controlled door between the two Discussion Rooms.
- There is ramped access to the main entrance
- There is a powered entrance door and level access around the building
- Each floor of the building has a wheelchair accessible toilet
- A portable infrared hearing support system is available for teaching rooms.
If you would like further assistance, please contact events@inet.ox.ac.uk