Titled “Why human-animal relations matter to keep sustainable food systems,” this session will be led by Professor Rui Pedro Fonseca.
Agricultural systems as a whole account for roughly one-third of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about half of these emissions are directly linked to animal production for food. In response to the urgent need for planetary sustainability, researchers worldwide are re-examining the scale and role of animal production systems. At the same time, the field of human–animal interaction within Psychology is expanding, raising awareness of the complex relationships between humans and other animals and exploring how these can be reshaped to benefit people, animals, and the planet alike.
A researcher at CIES - IUL Center for Research and Studies in Sociology, part of ISCTE – Lisbon University Institute, Rui Pedro Fonseca conducts research in the areas of consumer behaviour, human-animal relations, and educational practices. His work contributes to a critical reflection on the role of these dimensions in building more sustainable food systems.
This talk concludes the annual series of sessions dedicated to exploring the relationships between environmental sustainability and human behaviour, promoting interdisciplinary debate on these topics.