Local Food System Planning: New Measures Adopted by France to Address Climate Change
Abstract：
Globalized food systems are considered a major cause of excessive greenhouse gas emissions, inequitable incomes for farmers and insecure food supplies. In this context, the reterritorialization of food systems is potentially an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote environmentally friendly agriculture, strengthen urban-rural linkages and improve farmers’ incomes. Built upon this, France included territorial food system planning（ Projet alimentaire territorial） in the national law in 2014, aiming at the territorialized reconfiguration of food systems. This research analyzes the institutional framework of French food system planning, based on the analysis of policy documents and semi-structured interviews with civil servants in charge of food system planning. Taking Rouen metropolitan area as a case study, the paper explains how food system planning has been developed as a response to the climate matter, what planning strategies it has taken, and how the governance of this new type of planning has been developed and implemented with the participation of multiple actors. Finally, the French experience gives implications for the inclusion of territorial agri-food issues in China’s spatial planning system to respond to climate change and strengthen urban-rural linkages.