After a very focused and intense debate at the Long Term Investment and Re-industrialization Intergroup of European Parliament, that comprehensively discussed COP21 and Profitability of Sustainable investments, www.pickingalpha.com had a follow up interview with Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Mr. Gilles Pargneaux, MEP, France.  In this committee Mr. Pargneaux’s  mainly focuses on  such important  subjects as zero waste Europe, resource efficiency Europe.  Within these major goals in the areas mentioned above his   current   short term target is to manage an  acceptance and implementation of the 30% Food Waste Reduction report by 2020.  In this interview  we are aimed to find out what price shall we pay for this drastic reduction and future prevention of food and agri resources being wasted … would it be subsequent decline of profits and employment or not?

The goal of reducing Food Waste by 30% requires a subtle and much needed revolution in all links of the food chain.  What are the main unsolvable and difficult challenges at the moment?

In the fight against food waste, the main difficulty is obviously political. The S&D group called for binding target on that matter in order to force Member States to tackle the issue. Indeed, some Member States are way ahead in this sector while other ones stay well behind. If we do not set a common European target, we will never be able to join force in Europe and raise our food waste target critically.

Now, the European legislation, in particular the package on circular economy, does not include such provision. It will be our fight of the forthcoming months within the European parliament, namely to promote our S&D position.

How Food Waste is connected to long term investment?

Food waste is deeply enshrined in long term investment insofar as it is enshrined in the new way of thinking we are promoting. To comply with the paradigmatic shift of climate change, we will have to promote, develop and invest in new technologies that reduce food waste at its minimum. If we want to produce less waste, we absolutely need not to produce unneeded food as well as foster the delivery chain so that all the distributed food is actually consumed. This claims for a master scheme to be well organised. Companies, such as the GRANDDE network, in my constituency are dedicated to this thinking and working with other companies to help them evolve in that direction.

While these revolutionary changes are happening a lot of new opportunities are opening for innovation in food management, logistics, technology etc.  Do you foresee exponential job growth in the industry and overall industry growth?

Indeed, a paradigm shift means job creations. If we manage to develop a strong circular economy, we will be able to create more than 2 million jobs by 2030. In a time where the EU is craving for growth and jobs that a figure we cannot ignore.

Fight against food waste is one, among others, tool to deliver EU’s commitments to COP21. If we are consistent with what we said in Paris, I have good reasons to be optimistic for an exponential job growth within Europe!