Özge Geyik is a PhD candidate at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia, focusing on sustainable and nutrition-sensitive food systems. Having a joint MSc degree in industrial ecology from Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Graz, her research interests include sustainability indicators and assessments, nutritional sustainability, systems thinking, climate change mitigation and adaptation in land-based systems, and industrial and social ecology principles applied to global environmental challenges. She was involved in scientific research projects on crosscutting issues such as the impacts of climate change on agriculture and farmers’ autonomous adaptation strategies. As part of multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, she also has professional experience in consultancy projects on carbon markets in addition to civil society engagement.

Project: “Climate Change and Nutritional Sustainability: Aligning Climate Change, Food Production and Public Health Nutrition Targets”

Global food systems, as social-ecological systems consisting of biophysical, social, and political factors, are at the core of all dimensions of sustainability. First, food supply chains have a substantial share in global greenhouse gas emissions. Secondly, the co-existence of the triple burden of malnutrition—hunger (calorie deficiency), overweight/obesity (excess calories,) and hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency)—has become more prevalent. This is a manifestation of that fact that, despite growing production and supply volumes, current food systems do not serve human nutritional needs. Being among the top ten producers of agricultural commodities by gross production value, the energy intensity of agricultural production in Turkey has been on the rise, with a 75% increase in agricultural GHG emissions. Yet, there are no concrete plans to reverse this trend. Turkey’s population also exhibits persistent iron deficiency and a steady increase in the prevalence of overweight citizens and obesity. Thus, the double burden of malnutrition poses a substantial threat.

With an interdisciplinary approach involving climate science, agronomics, and public health and nutrition, this project aims to assess options for expanding nutrition-sensitive and sustainable food systems in Turkey. This project will generate new knowledge on (i) Turkey’s fair share in climate responsibility as a result of Turkish agricultural practices, (ii) pro-sustainability public health and nutrition, (iii) the impacts of climate change and nutrition security in Turkey, and (iv) integrated policies for nutritional sustainability.