FEEDING CITIES
Decoupling design from virgin material use.
EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS
... a selection ...
TWIN TRANSITIONS
Circular and Digital Transformation
of Türkiye's Built Environment
The Technical University of Delft, the Netherlands together with the ITU in Istanbul, Türkiye created the Twin Transitions event that was hosted by the Netherlands Consulate in Istanbul.
This two day event brought in leading voices to explore the opportunities and challenges surrounding the circular and digital transformation of Türkiye's built environment.
Chris Jones gave an introductory presentation, moderated two of the sessions and hosted an interactive workshop focussing on buisness models for the circular economy in relation to the urban context.
AGRITECTURE TRAVEL-FREE DIGITAL CONFERENCE SERIES
A presenation, Interview and discussion about circular economies, local food systems, urban agriculture and more.
In April 2020 I was interviewed by Henry Gordon-Smith, CEO of Agritecture a global leader in Urban Ag.Tech for their Travel-Free Digital Conference Series where innovative thinkers, operators and entrepreneurs, from around the world present and engage in discussions on topics of food systems.
Can we imagine a better, more efficient, enjoyable, healthy, robust, resilient and sustainable food system with more locally grown produce, less food waste, less packaging? with better, healthier products (for people, planet and business)? with more and better local connections? with less space needed in our homes for storing recycling and waste? where we spend less money and time on disposing of waste?
BUILDING WITH PEOPLE
Urban transformations for and with communities.
Massive challenges in fast growing cities often require major infrastructure interventions which can bring significant disruption to the lives of many millions of people. Without proper stakeholder involvement, projects can become mired in controversy, lack of understanding and thus stagnate or be delayed. However, infrastructure projects can also offer many opportunities to enhance the quality of life for all groups, including vulnerable people. By finding synergies, creating spin-off and additional benefits it is possible to accomplish win-win situations empowering people to become engaged contributors to solutions
FOOD CITIZENS
A webinar panel discussion
In this webinar hosted by Sky Farms, we explored the topic of “the value of moving consumers to food citizens by understanding what it means not just to produce food but to actually GROW IT.”
GREEN ROOFS AND WALLS OF THE WORLD GLOBAL SUMMIT 2019-2020
Feeding Cities: Fixing Cities - Introduction to the benefits of integrated urban agriculture.
This video that was part of the global summit, focuses on the possibilities for integrating urban food production into our existing urban areas and took a look across this diverse field from indoor climate-controlled food factories, to rooftop soil-based farms, vertical façade food systems, container-based techniques and public realm interventions. The video illustrates synergies and spin-off benefits across a wide range of Drawdown Solutions (and SDG’s) and will reference case studies and data from urban farming systems across the world as well as cities who have adopted policies and set ambitions that place circularity and sustainable food systems at the heart of their social, environmental, economic and sustainable planning.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY SWITZERLAND - ROMANDIE LAUNCH
A major regional circular economy launch
This event was the official launch of the Swiss movement for a circular economy in French-speaking Switzerland. This day was in continuation of the launch of this movement (CES Circular Economy Switzerland) which took place in Basel.
During the event, Chris joined innovative food systems entrepreneurs at an informative exhibition where there were many thgouht provoking, informative and inspiring displays, presentations and interactive sessions.
DRAWDOWN RESEARCH TO ACTION CONFERENCE
Project Drawdown partnered with Penn State to hold the first international conference on Drawdown — Research to Action: The Science of Drawdown. During this event, leading scientific experts and researchers from around the world engaged in a critical discussion about the most innovative and promising climate change solutions and upcoming research. This event launched a global call for submissions and the 'Feeding Cities: Fixing Cities' abstract and poster prepared by Chris Jones, was accepted for presentation during the event and inclusion in the events digital and physical exhibition.
For information about the event click the link below and for the project poster visit the 'Future City Hub' project page.
around the world.
FOOD SYSTEMS AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
This event was co-design, co-hosted and presented by Chris Jones and Impact Hub Lausanne and Circular Economy Transition Switzerland.
The evening focused on how developed cities can embrace the food system as a catalyst for achieving economic, social and environmental benefits. There were references to success stories, policies and strategies from cities including Paris, Brussels, Madrid, New York and Sao Paolo plus examples of real, working urban food projects and businesses as diverse as hi-tech hydro- and aquaponic indoor systems, to rooftop green houses, vertical façade farms and community based education and nutrition initiatives.
FEEDING CITIES: FIXING CITIES
This INSPIRE event, organised and presented by Chris Jones, took place at Impact Hub Geneva, Switzerland. The topic was 'Urban Agriculture as a catalyst for creating livable resilient cities'
The presentation explored some of the opportunities and challenges surrounding urban food production as part of circular economy based urban revitalisation strategies including bottom-up approaches and embracing techniques from simple, low-tech to integrated high-tech interventions.
The evening was attended by diverse professionals, enthusiasts and food entrepreneurs who came together to discuss and explore some of the key challenges facing our cities and our planet as we look to find solutions for energy, food and creating affordable livable cities.
SPINUP INNOVATION SUMMIT
Food Security Jugaad - A Frugal Hack to co-create the cities we need
As part of the SpinUp Innovation Summit, Chris co-presented a lively discussion focussing on the need to rediscover urban food production as part of urban resilience strategies.
The project Food Security Jugaad was innitiated as an organic solution to pandemic-induced food insecurity in vulnerable urban areas in the Global South. In this event we spread the message about food security and our use of the concept of jugaad (a Hindi term describing frugal innovations) - to create regenerative microbusinesses while restructuring local food systems for more healthy, circular neighbourhoods.