"Fair miles"? The concept of "food miles" through a sustainable development lens

Opinion paper
, 2 pages
PDF (96.77 KB)
11064IIED.pdf
Language:
English
Published: October 2006
Sustainable Development Opinion Papers
Product code:11064IIED

The concept of “food miles” presents an argument to buy goods which have traveled the shortest distance from farm to table, and to
discriminate against long-haul transportation, especially air-freighted goods. The long-distance transport of food is associated with additional emissions due to increased transportation coupled with greater packaging, as well as negative impacts on local rural communities, and a disconnection between the public and local farming. Furthermore, “food miles” encapsulates (and is at the vanguard of) the climate change debate in the UK. In light of growing international concern over the speed and scale of climate change, the concept of “food miles” has captured public attention and apparently is changing some consumers’ behavior, although only around one-third of shoppers know of the concept.

Cite this publication

, J., "Fair miles"? The concept of "food miles" through a sustainable development lens and Vorley, B. (2006). "Fair miles"? The concept of "food miles" through a sustainable development lens. .
Available at https://www.iied.org/11064iied