On Telegram, it is claimed that the Davos Forum is seeking to ban local crops to fight global warming.
This is actually a study from the University of Michigan which highlights the carbon footprint of urban agriculture compared to conventional agriculture.
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Does the Davos Forum want to put an end to vegetable gardens? Indeed, on Telegram, we affirm (new window) what “The World Economic Forum (WEF) is calling on governments to ban citizens from growing their own food at home in order to comply with the unelected globalist organization’s ‘Net Zero’ agenda.” As a reminder, this foundation brings together business leaders, political leaders and wealthy people once a year in Davos, Switzerland.
At the same time, it publishes reports, such as that of “Net zero transition” for companies to move towards a carbon neutral world. The 2023 edition (new window)a sort of road map, aims to “assess and understand progress on decarbonization in emissions-intensive industrial sectors” without however proposing restrictive means. This report also does not include any wording about local crops, and even less banning them to fight climate change.
On the contrary, the GEF seems rather to favor their implementation, as here in 2023 (new window) where he refers to an American study according to which “community gardens and urban farms have a positive impact on biodiversity, local ecosystems and the well-being of the people who work there.”
A source unrelated to Davos
In reality, the source mentioned on Telegram is a study carried out in 2023 by the University of Michigan, in the United States. But contrary to what is claimed online, it has no connection with the Davos Forum and does not advocate a ban on vegetable gardens in cities. Published in January 2024 in the journal Nature Cities (new window)it seeks to compare the carbon footprint of urban agriculture and conventional agriculture. Its authors conclude that “Fruits and vegetables grown on farms and urban gardens have a carbon footprint that is, on average, six times greater than conventionally grown produce.”
In detail, the carbon footprint of vegetable gardens and other crops in the city is mainly due to the infrastructure necessary for their implementation, according to Benjamin Goldstein, co-author of the study cited (new window) by the University of Michigan: “These farms typically only operate for a few years or a decade, so the greenhouse gases used to produce these materials are not used efficiently. Conventional agriculture, on the other hand, is very efficient and difficult to compete with.” . To remedy this, the authors recommend in particular “extend the lifespan of infrastructure” or use urban waste, such as “construction debris and demolition waste”as components of urban agriculture.
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After this observation, the authors do not question the merits of vegetable gardens, nor do they call for their ban in the city. This is not the first time that this publication has been the subject of online disinformation, which had already been deciphered (new window) by AFP Factual. Furthermore, the very existence of the Davos Forum gives rise to numerous fantasies, such as this rumor (new window) of “climate confinements” which would have come from the foundation and had stirred up conspiracy circles last year.
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