The Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land-Use, and Energy (FABLE) Consortium
The FABLE Consortium has released its 2020 Report on Pathways to Sustainable Land-Use and Food Systems. Explore the latest trends in food and land-use with the new 'Scenathon' dashboard.
Overview
FABLE is a global consortium with teams of scientists in 20 countries modeling land use to 2050 in an integrated framework. Land use and land use change accounts for 23% of GHG emissions globally, biodiversity loss is accelerating at alarming rates, and the food system is producing both widespread undernutrition and obesity. FABLE’s modeling will inform government decision-making on sustainable land management, as well as planning processes for conservation and climate policy. How do changes in dietary patterns affect agricultural and pastureland expansion? How do we expand protected areas while feeding the population? How extensive do reforestation programs need to be to achieve net zero GHG emissions from the land sector? These are some of the questions that FABLE explores.
The FABLE Consortium pursues three objectives:
- Capacity development and sharing of best practice for data management and modelling of the 3 pillars through (i) simplified assessments of land-use and food systems for stakeholder engagement (“FABLE Calculator”); (ii) integrated data to support policy-making; and (iii) integrated, geospatially-explicit modelling with trade analyses.
- Development of mid-century national pathways that can collectively achieve shared global targets and have consistent trade assumptions. Such pathways can directly support governments’ efforts to develop mid-century low-emission development strategies under the Paris Agreement’s Article 4.19. They also support achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
- Analysis of national policy options. By establishing national tools for policy analysis, governments and their stakeholders can test the impact of proposed policies across the three pillars of sustainable land-use and food systems, which can help raise the level of ambition and promote policy coherence.
Countries in the FABLE Consortium and part of the 2020 Report
Where we come in
The SDG Policy Initiative works with FABLE modeling teams in the US and Mexico on national analysis while coordinating with other global teams to share lessons, ensure consistent trade flows, and align the sum of national pathways with the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the Paris Agreement. SDGPI Director, Gordon McCord was a co-author of the 2020 US FABLE report that provides a clear understanding of the current land use and agricultural needs and a path forward.
FABLE Mexico
The Mexico chapter of FABLE brings together expertise on an array of topics to develop and assess model projections, improve understanding of local conditions and identify priority areas for public policy.
FABLE USA
The US Chapter of FABLE explores long-term pathways towards sustainable land use and food systems, focusing on efficient and resilient agriculture, conservation, and restoration of biodiversity and food security and healthy diets.