Enviro indicators galore! @ EcoHackSF

Transcript

1. Choosing issues and indicators to measure the sustainability sourcing of agricultural commodities Nat Springer Agricultural Sustainability Institute, UC Davis Eco-Hack Ignite Talk May 9, 2014
2. Our food system is global Improvement is needed to achieve global food system sustainability Progress requires access to scientifically credible information that is comprehensive, yet focused
3. Underlying questions
5. Human Diseases Human Mortality Labor Literacy Nutritional Status Public Health Reproductive Health Safety Physical & Financial Agricultural Sector Energy Finance Income Inputs Physical Infrastructure Social & Political Disasters Educational Resources Food Production Geographical Distribution Governance Human Rights Institutions Markets Participation Population Growth Population Structure Property Rights Poverty Productivity Social Structure Sociocultural Systems Technology Trade Policies Women & Wages Women’s Participation Natural Air & Climate Biodiversity Common Pool Resources Deforestation Ecosystem Services Land & Soil Oceans & Coasts Protected Areas Wastes & Pollution Water
6. Integrated Issue Component Issue Indicator Nutritional Status Acute undernutrition Percent of population wasting Air & climate Climate change Global mean temperature rise
9. We need an application to help users navigate the selection of issues, indicators, and visualization data
10. •  Say a group of users is concerned with the sustainability impact of sourcing groundnuts (peanuts) in Northern Nigeria •  Group of users –  Mars. Inc –  Groundnut farmers –  Nigerian agricultural minister –  Greenpeace –  UC Davis team Example: Groundnuts in Northern Nigeria
11. •  If concerned with sustainability impacts, they must select subset of issues by answering the following question Step 1: Select Issues Raw material sourcing of groundnuts in Northern Nigeria will have significant, direct impacts on which issues?
13. ? Select Indicators Step 2: Select Indicators for each Issue
14. “Minimum Covering Set” Algorithm Impact Case 1
16. Step 2.1: “Lock-in” or “Exclude” Indicators –  LOCK-IN: These indicators are great for this case –  EXCLUDE: Some indicators just aren’t right for this case •  For specific commodity •  For regional scale or scope •  Inaccessible data –  Rerun algorithm –  Step 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, etc.
18. Step 3: Visualization Data for Selected Indicators
19. Hack Needed! Already Exists
20. Hack Needed! Already Exists