Welcome by moderator and officially opening of Global Dilemma Conference

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Hall F, Global Dilemma StageEnglish

Join the opening speech by Dorte West, Mayor of Herning and Georg Sørensen, CEO of MCH A/S and Marie-Louise Boisen Lendal, CEO of Tænketanken Frej when they welcome you to the premiere of Global Dilemma Conference where the biggest challenges and dilemmas og the food industry will be examined.

Marie-Louise Boisen Lendal comments on the conference:
"At last, a conference that brings together the food sector to address the major sustainability challenges. We need to understand the global challenges and dilemmas that the food sector must help solve, and we need to collaborate across the value chain to address them - and we need to showcase sustainable solutions to each other."

 

Read the exciting interview with Marie-Louise Boisen Lendal

What is your background, and what do you work with?

I am the CEO of Think Tank Frej, who works to create a more sustainable food production and consumption through collaboration between countryside and city. Our aim is to ensure a production and consumption that doesn’t exceed the planetary boundaries. Beside Frej, I also hold several board positions such as Friland, Ingleby Farms and chairman of Danish plant-based food grant.

 

What is the biggest challenge in the green transition of the food industry in your opinion?

To me, the biggest challenge in the green transition of the food industry is to change consumer habits to eat more plant based; to change incentive structures in the food production so the most sustainable agriculture is the most affordable to buy and produce; and to find solutions that eliminates food waste and unhealthy food habits.

 

How does the food industry look like on the planet's terms in your opinion?

It is a food sector that doesn’t exceed the planetary boundaries. This means that food is produced with less input such as fertilizer and pesticides and with use of less land but in higher amounts. It is difficult, but it is not impossible.

The new green tripartite negotiation has just been concluded – could this influence the food industry in a greener direction?

YES! Mainly it will mean big changes in the Danish land use, where 1/5 of Danish land will be forest in the future instead of agriculture (from 13 % forest today) and a further reduction of 140.000 ha farmland. Furthermore, we have started to make incentives to produce more sustainable as a farmer with a carbon emission tax which hopefully would inspire other countries and the EU.

 

What are you looking forward to at the Global Dilemma Conference at FoodTech?

I look forward to gaining insights from specialist and industry on how they see the changes both in Denmark and internationally towards more sustainable production and consumption. Where is regulation and market developing? I believe that when you attend this conference you will get knowledge about latest news and insights in the sector, you can use in your daily decision-making in the company or organization you are representing.