• Professor of Grassland Sciences in the Institute of Agricultural

Sciences at ETH Zurich.

• Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Germany and Fellow

of the American Geophysical Union.

• Founding chair of the World Food System Center at ETH Zurich.

• Chairs Swiss National Science Foundation.

• Worked on over 250 journal papers. Her main research topics:

Plants and ecosystem physiology.

Biogeochemistry of forests, grasslands and cropland.

Interactions among biodiversity, ecosystem functions & services, and

sustainable resource use.

Prof. Dr. Nina Buchmann, ETH Zurich

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Challenges & solutions towards a sustainable world food system

Prof. Dr. Nina Buchmann, ETH Zurich

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Social challenges

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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1864

2018

Climate challenge: Observed

Ni

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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(CH2018)

Scenarios for NE-Switzerland (rel. to 1981-2010); scenario = no action takenC

ha

ng

e i

n T

erm

pe

ratu

re(º

C)

Ch

an

ge

in

Pre

cip

ita

tio

n (

%)

Climate challenge: Future

Blue: 2020-2050 Orange: 2045-2075 Green: 2070-2100

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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(Global Risks Report 2019)

Global risks(next 10 years)

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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(Grant et al. 2018, Gaia)

Towards a sustainable world food system

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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(Gilgen & Buchmann 2009, BG; Prechsl et al. 2015, Oecologia)

Chamau, at 400 m

Früebüel, at 1000 m

Alp Weissenstein 2000 m

Sometimes, we are lucky…

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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(Craven et al. 2018, NEE)

Based on 39 grassland biodiversity experiments

If not, biodiversity can help…

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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(Finger & Buchmann 2015, Ecol. Econ.)

More risk averse

Less risk averse

Contour line = insurance value,

premium of species diversity

-

, biodiversity

Biodiversity pays out as an insurance…

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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1 2 4 8 16 60 R

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Species richness (log)

Yie

ld(g

/m2)

M1 F0

M2 F0

M2 F100

M4 F100

M4 F200

440

315

(Weigelt et al. 2009, BG)

Diversity

Fertilizer

Biodiversity replaces fertilizer…

Nina Buchmann, Dept Head Environmental Systems Science; World Food System Center

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(Fuchs et al. 2018, BG)

Legumes replace fertilizer & reduce N2O emissions

Nina Buchmann, Head Environmental Systems; Chair, World Food Systems, ETH Zurich

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(Tilman and Clark 2014, Nature)

Further solution: Changes in diet

Nina Buchmann, Head Environmental Systems; Chair, World Food Systems, ETH Zurich

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(Beretta et al. 2012)

Grey are unavoidable food losses, orange possibly avoidable, and red avoidable losses.

Not to forget: Less waste and losses

Nina Buchmann, Head Environmental Systems; Chair, World Food Systems, ETH Zurich

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(Jörin et al. 2016)

Step 3.1

Step 4.2

Assessment

Increasing resilience of WFS?

Nina Buchmann, Head Environmental Systems; Chair, World Food Systems, ETH Zurich

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