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Mapping Wild Cards

Inspired by: FP7 » Food Crisis due to an irreversible deterioration of soils and a lack of control in the transfer of soil contaminants into the food chain.

version: 1 / created: 2009-10-25
id: #207 / version id: #207
mode: VIEW

Originally submitted by: Graciela Sainz
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Last changed by: Graciela Sainz
WI-WE status:
submitted unpublished

Source of inspiration

European Commission Framework Programme for RTD (FP7)

Theme/activity of inspiration

Theme 6 - Environment (including Climate Change)

Sub-theme/area of inspiration

Environmental technologies for observation, simulation, prevention, mitigation, adaptation

Optional reference/s to FP7 project/s

Use the following format: Project Acronym (Project Reference No.). Use commas if more than one project is associated to this Wild Card, for example: ALFA-BIRD (213266), SAFAR (213374), LAPCAT-II (211485)
ISOSOIL (212781)

Headline

(max. 9 words)

Food Crisis due to an irreversible deterioration of soils and a lack of control in the transfer of soil contaminants into the food chain.

Description

(approx. 150 words)
Please describe the Wild Card (approx. 150 words)
Conventional remediation-monitoring programmes (i.e. analysis of contaminant and metabolite concentrations over time and space), often provide inconclusive assessments due to their inability to resolve some of the existing problems of soils: mix of several contaminant sources or increasing levels of degradation. The lack of robust tools to assess the quality of these soils represents several risks. First, increasing concentrations of contaminants in the soil would have devastating consequences for the sustainability of ecosystems that will see an important decrease in their biodiversity. Second, the possible transfer of contaminants from the soil into the food chain would put the health of millions of individuals at risk. What will make this Wild Card interesting? It would unfold unforeseeable impacts If the Wild Card is the result of a breakthrough, where would it come from? It will emerge from the frontiers of today's science

Keywords

soil deterioration, food crisis

Type of event

Natural event (e.g. earthquake, tsunami, asteroid)

Type of systems affected

Both

Classification

Undesirable

Importance

please specify:
please select
Level 4: important for the whole world

Latent phase

Obstacles for early indentification

economic filters (business/market interests)

Manifestation phase

Type of manifestation

In a probably enclosed way (e.g. geographically, sectorally)

Aftermath phase

Important implications
Collapse of a system

Comments

Economic filters (business/market interests): Often economic drivers disregard the social/ethical/environmental factors associated to them. Manifestation Phase: The wild card would emerge differently in different regions (depending on the level of contamination of these). However, it would rapidly expand, in particular when it reaches the food chain and affects food products that have a global market. After-effects Phase: The collapse of the food chain in Europe woud have major implications, from the need to strenghten the regulations and control of food product, to the need to find alternative foods.

Key drivers or triggers

Provide up to 2 possible drivers or triggers of HIGH importance. Click on HELP to see examples:
please describe
Driver / Trigger 1 		please describe
Driver / Trigger 2
Environmental The problem of soil pollution is an environmental driver "per se", although it is driven by social action.
Political Often, countries with "looser" environmental policies are good spaces for the heavy "polluting industries" to settle.
Values/Ethical/Cultural Industries should be more aware of their environmental impact (corporate social responsibility)

Relevance for thematic research areas

please justify:
particularly relevant
Health It affects the health of individuals
Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology It involves the food-supply chain
Environment (including Climate Change) It is an environment issue

Pan-European strategies potentially helping to deal with the wild card

please justify:
particularly relevant
Developing and funding world-class research infrastructures 2014-2020
Facilitating and promoting knowledge sharing and transfer 2014-2020
Increasing the efficiency and impact of public research through Joint Programming (i.e. combining national and pan-European research efforts) or the optimisation of research programmes and priorities, for example. Before 2013
Fostering and facilitating coherent international cooperation in science and technology 2014-2020