Academic consultant for UBA Project
I am an academic consultant on the project “Cost allocation and incentive mechanisms for environmental, climate protection and resource conservation along global supply chains”, which is coordinated by adelphi and financed by the German Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt).
Due diligence legislation overview for International Coffee Organization
In my capacity as an observer of the International Coffee Organization’s Public-Private Task Force, I have supported its technical workstream on importing countries’ policies by creating and updating an overview of legislations that have been proposed and/or entered into force and focus on supply chain due diligence or import restrictions. The full database alongside a summary analysis can be found on the ICO website. I have also provided presentations on the current legislative environment to various associations as well as individual companies.
EKLIPSE Expert Working Group member
I was a co-chair of the EKLIPSE Expert Working Group on business activities’ impacts on biodiversity. EKLIPSE is a knowledge and learning mechanism to support better decision-making regarding biodiversity and ecosystem services. The request to be addressed is titled “How can environmental regulators support businesses to improve the outcomes of their operations for biodiversity, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises in the food and beverage sector in Europe?” and was made by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The final report was released in 2020 on the EKLIPSE website and can be accessed here.
IPES-Food
I have also worked as a research consultant for the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems. Most recently, I collaborated on a political economy analysis of successful transitions to local and regional agroecological food systems. The report “Breaking away from industrial food and farming systems: Seven case studies of agroecological transition” was published in October 2018.
I further contributed background research, provided literature reviews and drafted sections of the 2017 report “Unravelling the Food–Health Nexus: Addressing practices, political economy, and power relations to build healthier food systems“.
Food (Policy) for Thought blog
During my Master’s degree in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Policy Analysis in 2013, and for several years afterwards, I wrote a blog on issues and policies related to sustainable food systems, production and consumption. The blog spans a wide range of topics from dietary choices, obesity prevention and food security to livestock production, environmental pollution and farmers’ mental health. I particularly enjoyed translating complex scientific findings and insights into a language and perspective that resonates with non-expert members of the interested public, because I believe that environmental and agricultural policy issues are a concern of everybody. While I do not actively add to the blog at this point in time, I continue maintaining it for interested readers.
Janina Grabs 