In this article, the authors argue that the pressing challenge in the ABPU region, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, is neither the water nor carbon footprint generated by food exports. Rather, the main problem is how to tackle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the broad regional scale through sensible and coordinated land-use policies. The authors make the case for recognising the role that ABPU’s exports of food and virtual water can play in helping to alleviate mounting water and food demand in a global context of climate change and population growth. Humans have left a footprint on the planet over the course of their evolution, unfolding in waves of deeply transformative agricultural and industrial revolutions. As a result, global warming , climate change and water scarcity have emerged as three important impacted fields that indirectly affect the sustainability of the global food system. The critical role of food security in the context of climate change and water withdrawal deserves special attention. Making sense of the complex relationship between carbon (CF) and water (WF) footprints and food security is at the core of Group of Producing Countries from the Southern Cone (GPS) objectives. Before proceeding, we should take into account...
Written by Ernesto Viglizzo, M. Florencia Ricard
