Improved production and reduced consumption of beef is often highlighted as key aspects for tackling sustainability issues of the food system because the environmental impact of beef is ~100 times higher than plant-based foods. Both scientist and civil society organisations argue that eating “less but better” beef is important for sustainability. Better quality can encompass better eating quality as well as improved sustainability, but despite the two being very important for overall quality, very little research on interactions between them exists. No tools, applicable in Sweden, allowing for joint assessment have been developed. This study investigates the synergies and trade-offs between eating quality and environmental sustainability by using Swedish beef production as a case study. It reviews peer reviewed literature on factors that contribute to eating quality (flavour, tenderness and juiciness), and four factors that contribute to environmental sustainability (climate, biodiversity, feed/food competition and animal welfare). Based on the findings, an indicator-based sustainability assessment framework and a meat quality grading scheme differentiating Premium and Standard eating quality is developed, aimed to be practical tools for Swedish beef assessments. The study provides a systems-based understanding of synergies and trade-offs that may occur when “less but better” is presented as a strategy for tackling the environmental impact of beef. Results show that there are synergies between eating quality and biodiversity, animal welfare and with the right choices of feed, feed/food competition but with consequent trade-offs with climate impact. The discussion addresses the potential of enhanced eating quality to increase the profitability of Swedish beef production without consequent substantial negative impact on sustainability. The suggested methods have the potential to facilitate a shift from quantity- to quality-based consumption, but further empirical studies are required.

Carbon storage in agricultural soils is an important measure to mitigate climate change. As the soil management techniques can greatly influence the amount of carbon stored in agricultural soils, the influence of different managements was analyzed in a literature review for northern Europe and Sweden. With a unique dataset, the temporal development of soil organic matter, and in a case study the influence of SOM on crop yield in Sweden was examined, as well as the relationship of SOM towards clay content and pH level. For northern Europe, organic amendments in form of manure and sewage sludge application and crop residue incorporation as well as nitrogen fertilization and diverse crop rotations indicate a positive impact on soil organic carbon. The influence of reduced tillage was found to be less impactful. Detailed development of SOM in Swedish agricultural fields remains unclear due to data restraints and scarcity, but for the Skåne region the data analysis suggests a stable SOM content for the time period analyzed. The relationship of SOM to crop yield remains unclear but indicates that SOM can have a positive effect on crop yield. More research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms of development, management influence and yield response on soil organic carbon for northern Europe.

Water scarcity combined with an increasing world population is creating pressure to develop new methods for producing food using less water. Rice is a staple crop with a very high water demand. This study examined the success in maintaining yields under water-saving irrigation management, including alternate wetting and drying (AWD). A meta-analysis was conducted examining yields under various types of water-saving irrigation compared to control plots kept under continuous flooding. The results indicated that yields can indeed be maintained under AWD as long as the field water level during the dry cycles is not allowed to drop below -15 cm, or the soil water potential is not allowed to drop below -10 kPa. Yields can likewise be maintained using irrigation intervals of 2 days, but the variability increases. Midseason drainage was not found to affect yield, though non-flooded conditions when maintained throughout most of the crop season appeared to be detrimental to yields. Increasingly negative effects on yields were found when increasing the severity of AWD or the length of the drainage periods. Potential benefits and drawbacks of water-saving irrigation management with regards to greenhouse gas emissions, soil quality and nutrient losses were discussed to highlight the complexity of the challenges of saving water in rice production.

Healthy, natural pastures is very valuable for biodiversity in the form of both plants and animals. An efficient use of pastures helps to preserve biodiversity, but grazing animals needs to be de-wormed to keep them healthy and to prevent harmful parasites spread on the pasture. The awareness about the environmental impact of the frequent use of deworming agents is low among the public. Some people are unaware that the absorption in horses of anthelmintics is incomplete, which make the circumstances about enviromental effect important to investigate further. The scientific evidence in this area is limited and more studies and trials are needed to deepen the knowledge about the effects of anthelmintics in the environment. Our report includes a compilation of studies conducted on anthelmintics and equine parasites, as well as an experiment which was conducted at the University of Halmstad biogaslaboratory April 2014. Anthelmintics have been shown to have negative impact on the manure ecosystem and especially against manure living fauna. Deworming routines has changed over the years as the equine industry has developed. Nevertheless, there’s still a lack of concrete approach to deworming.

Studien behandlar köttproducenternas egna åsikter och tankar kring miljömärkningaroch ekologisk produktion. Tidigare studier har främst behandlat konsumenten och dennes attityd gentemot certifieringar och producenterna har befunnit sig i bakgrunden som tysta åskådare. Nu får producenterna kliva fram ur periferin och själva dela sina tankar och åsikter kring varför man väljer, eller inte väljer, att märka sitt kött. Studien är kvalitativ och intervjuerna är semistrukturerade. Producenterna är samtliga belägna i Norrland och producerar lamm, nöt eller griskött. Syftet med studien var att ta reda på hur mindre köttproducenter upplever certifieringsprocessen och hur denna process bedöms i förhållande till att ha en certifierad produktion samt hur producenterna kommunicerar sina hållbarhets åtaganden i ett CSR kontext om man inte använder sig av miljömärkningar. Det visade sig att majoriteten av producenterna hade en generellt negativ inställning till certifieringsprocessen, den ansågs vara för krånglig och kostsam; i vissa fall var det inte ens möjligt att certifiera sin produktion med anledning av det geografiska avståndet. Många såg inte något potentiellt mervärde i att ha en certifierad produktion som CSR-verktyg utan kommunicerade hellre sina hållbarhets åtaganden med kunden direkt. Majoriteten av producenterna hade ett högt hållbarhetsengagemang och åtagande men kommunicerade inte nödvändigtvis detta utåt, och inte med hjälp av miljömärkningar. Beslutet gällande att certifiera sin produktion eller inte hade i stor utsträckning att göra med det geografiska området och de begränsningar detta kunde innebära såväl som kostnad och den generella misstron på mervärde som följd av miljömärkningar. Ämnet är komplext och det finns många slutsatser men generellt gäller det att mindre producenter inte anser sig behöva miljömärka sitt kött då konsumenten i stor utsträckning vet vilka värderingar och hållbarhetsåtaganden den aktuella gården har, de potentiella fördelarna väger inte upp för komplexiteten i processen. Man använder sig främst av direktkommunikation för att förmedla sina åtaganden och därför finns ingen större nödvändighet för en extern märkning. / This study deals with meat producers' own opinions and thoughts regarding eco-labels and organic production. Previous studies have mainly dealt with the consumer and their attitude towards certifications and the producers have been put in the background as silent spectators. Now the producers can step out of the periphery and share their thoughts and opinions about why they choose, or choose not to, label their meat. The study is qualitative and the interviews are semi-structured. The producers are all located in northern Sweden and produce lamb, beef or pork. The purpose of the study was to find out how small meat producers experience the certification process and how this process is assessed in relation to having a certified production and further how producers communicate their sustainability commitments in a CSR context if they do not use eco-labels. It turned out that the majority of producers had a generally negative attitude towards the certification process, it was considered too cumbersome and costly; in some cases it was not even possible to certify their production due to the geographical distance. Many producers did not see any potential added value in having a certified production as a CSR tool, but rather communicated their sustainability commitments with the customer directly. The majority of producers had a high sustainability commitment, but did not necessarily communicate this to the outside world, and not with the help of eco-labels. The decision regarding whether or not to certify the production had a great deal to do with the geographical area and the limitations this could entail as well as cost and the general mistrust in possible added value due to the eco-labels. The subject is complex and there are many possible conclusions, but in general it seems that smaller producers do not consider it necessary to label their meat as the consumer to a large extent knows what values and sustainability commitments the farm in question has. They mainly use direct communication to convey their commitments and therefore sees no need for an external branding in the form of certification. The potential benefits do not outweigh the complexity of the process.

Food systems are considered one of the most important anthropogenic activities contributing to climate change. On the other hand, climate change influences the conditions for growth with more frequent droughts and heatwaves. This contradiction poses a significant challenge to future food systems, which need not only become more sustainable, but also increase its production to feed a growing population, as stated in both the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the Swedish action plan on food. This has given rise to alternative ways of producing food, such as urban farming and, in particular vertical hydroponic farming, where food is grown indoors in a controlled environment with artificial lighting and with a minimum use of water and without pesticides. In this study, a vertical hydroponic farm located in Stockholm, Sweden, is examined using life cycle assessment in terms of environmental sustainability. The farm, located in a basement space, works together with the building in a symbiotic network, where the farm provides the building with excess heat from the lighting, and in turn obtains carbon dioxide from an office floor. The findings from the study show that electricity is a major contributor to the environmental performance of the farm, along with the infrastructure employed. The impacts of water use in the farm, is very low, along with the impacts associated with the delivery of the crops; illustrating the advantages of producing food locally. By substituting the synthetic fertilizers employed to biofertilizers, and by substituting the plastic bag material to renewable material, reductions in greenhouse gases are possible. The symbiotic development between the farm and the building is shown very beneficial to the farm, highlighting the importance of synergies between actors in urban areas. / Livsmedelsindustrin anses vara en av de största antropogena drivkrafterna bakom klimatförändringarna. Å andra sidan så förändrar klimatförändringar i sig förutsättningarna för hållbar odling, med mer frekventa torrperioder, extrem värme och extrem nederbörd. Denna konträra situation ställer stora krav på framtidens livsmedelsindustri, som dessutom måste producera mer mat för att mätta en ökande befolkning; ett åtagande som står angivet både i FN:s globala mål och i den svenska Livsmedelsstrategin. Många forskare menar att dagens livsmedelsindustri inte kommer klara denna omställning, och att alternativa metoder för att producera mat behövs. Urban odling har föreslagits som en del av lösningen, och i synnerhet vertikal hydroponisk odling där grödor växer inomhus i en kontrollerad miljö med artificiell belysning, låg vattenanvändning och utan bekämpningsmedel. Den här studien undersökte en vertikal hydroponisk odling i Stockholm, och bedömde dess miljömässiga hållbarhet med hjälp av en livscykelanalys. Odlingen, som sker i en källarlokal, samarbetar med den omslutande byggnaden i en urban symbios, där odlingen förser byggnaden med spillvärme från belysningen, och får i sin tur koldioxid från en kontorslokal. Enligt resultat från studien bidrar elektriciteten till den största miljöpåverkan, men även infrastruktur har stor påverkan. Vattenanvändningen i odlingen är däremot väldigt låg, och miljöpåverkan från leveransen av varorna är mycket låg, vilket belyser fördelarna med att odla mat lokalt. Odlingen kan bland annat minska sin miljöpåverkan genom att byta ut det nuvarande konstgödslet till biogödsel och genom att byta ut plastpåsarnas material till förnybar plast. Symbiosen mellan odlingen och byggnaden visade sig vara väldigt gynnsam, vilket vidare belyser vikten av samspel mellan olika aktörer i den urbana miljön.

The pressure on current urban ecosystems is an ongoing problem as greenhouse gaseshave a negative impact on the climate but also on people around the world. As manycities are densely populated, it becomes difficult to introduce more greenery into citieswithout taking up a lot of space, for example by building parks. Therefore, vertical plantsystems placed on facades around the city can be a solution to mitigate the effects ofurban warming and help absorb carbon emissions. The aim of the study is to expandthe knowledge of plant façades with respect to carbon dioxide absorption. The studyexamines three key aspects, namely the economics of installation and maintenance, thelong-term sustainability of carbon absorption and the energy-saving potential of greenwall insulation.The different data collection methods used are literature studies and interviews withcontractors. Fytotextile on the modules was the material whose U-value was used forthe energy calculations; these are used by a company in Spain, Terapia Urbana. Theirquotes were also used for financial calculations to see the viability from an economicperspective.The study shows that the most suitable option for using plants on façades is to chooseresistant and fast-growing perennial plants that require little maintenance as these arethe most optimal for use on façades. The plant Flock Fist was recognized as a suitablespecies for implementation on green walls through various surveys and in-depthinterviews, due to its extended lifespan and inherent ease of maintenance. Analysesinvolving economic, energy and sustainability calculations show that the incorporationof green walls is economically unprofitable. However, in terms of sustainability andenergy efficiency, it appears to be a more practical and beneficial solution.The results show that installing plant façades on buildings can reduce energyconsumption and promote sustainability. The results also revealed that a building with400sqm of green façade can absorb the annual CO2 emissions of a building for 25 years.BIM 3 Requirements and Verification - Design projects are compared with this study'scalculation to check the energy consumption. Plant facades can help buildings achievehigher levels in Miljöbyggnad because of the extra insulation. The study concludes that1100 SEK is saved every year with a plant facade due to the reduction of energyconsumption. The results also highlighted that a building with 400sqm of green façadecan absorb the yearly CO2 emissions of a building for 25 years. Plant facades can helpbuildings achieve higher levels in Miljöbyggnad as the extra insulation helps to reduceenergy consumption. The study also shows that the value of buildings with greenfaçades increases by several percentage points each year.The care and maintenance of the plants were important factors for their survival.However, economic factors were limited due to high installation costs and small savingsrelative to the investment. Plant walls can absorb a significant amount of carbondioxide, but the lack of research on their exact capacity was a challenge.Keywords: Carbon dioxide, White Ness, Fytotextile, Green facades, Plant walls.

At my thesis’s core is the transformation of the agricultural industry based on the framework of food regimes established by Philip McMichael and Harriet Friedmann. The framework of food regimes will guide the analysis of recent agricultural developments towards sustainability. Due to the local nature of the food production system, I focused my thesis on one county in the South of Germany, Schwäbisch Hall, which allows me to look at local developments and how they affect our broader global food system. I will begin the thesis by analysing the effects of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on agricultural actors in Schwäbisch Hall. After that, I will thoroughly examine the term “sustainable agriculture” within the context of sustainability and how the term is perceived by agricultural actors in Schwäbisch Hall. I will then explore three crucial global sustainability issues in the agricultural sector and how these global issues are influencing and transforming the agricultural industry on a local level. The sustainability issues include Food Security, Environmental Issues and Climate Change, and Consumption Issues. The analysis will explore how these issues, along with the recent CAP reform, can shape and advance the agricultural industry in the future. To analyse the CAP and sustainable agriculture, the study will employ the Actor-Network Theory (ANT), which will provide insights into the operational dynamics and interplay of networks within the industry as they mutually influence each other. I also use interviews with agricultural actors and news articles to get a more profound knowledge of opinions on the developments within the agricultural sector. After analysing current sustainability issues and the most recent CAP reform, I will discuss the agricultural sector's future in Germany and how the agricultural industry could develop further in the upcoming years. I will also look more into the possibilities of organic farming and its importance in establishing a more sustainable agricultural sector. At the end of my thesis, I will examine if, with the recent developments in the agricultural industry, there is a chance that a new fourth food regime can be established soon in the broader prospect of our global food system.

Abstract: An unsustainable food system in Sweden, marked by power imbalances, limited opportunities for smaller producers, and a lack of collaboration, demands solutions. Many workers in the food system operate as smaller producers, while the retail sector is highly concentrated, dominated by a few major retailers. Due to their significant market share, these retailers have the potential to drive production improvements, sustainability, and innovation by actively supporting smaller producers. However, if these issues remain unaddressed, the entire food system risks becoming increasingly vulnerable to future disruptions. This thesis aims to explain the dynamics within the Swedish food value chain, focusing on the collaboration between established retailers and smaller producers. It seeks to understand how this collaboration can be improved by both parties to foster a more sustainable food system. Through qualitative semi-structured interviews employing a dual-perspective approach from both producers and retailers, it sought an understanding of both actors’ perspectives regarding their current experiences and perceptions. Both producers and retailers acknowledge the need for collaboration, but challenges persist, particularly expressed by the producers. The main theory used, The Ladder of Partnership, highlights the necessity for trust, mutual understanding, and investment in collaboration. While some companies are making efforts, more is required for a sustainable food system. Given the retailer’s market influence, they should lead by creating opportunities for smaller producers, making strategic decisions about market inclusion, and excluding less sustainable options. The thesis advocates for accountability and shared responsibility among all actors in the food system to achieve a sustainable future. The study concludes that the Swedish food value chain relies on collaboration among various actors, and without it, the system's functionality would be compromised. / Summary: Walking into a vibrant supermarket opens up a world of diverse choices, showcasing both local and global products and turning grocery shopping into a journey through the interconnected global food system. Each item on the shelf tells a story of its own, a journey from farm to fork. Just as each product on the shelf tells a story, so too does our collective effort to foster a more sustainable future. From supporting smaller producers to advocating for environmental sustainability, every decision we make has an impact, leading to the outcome dependent on our action.  This thesis aims to explain the dynamics within the Swedish food value chain, focusing on the collaboration between established retailers and smaller producers. It seeks to understand how this collaboration could be improved by both retailers and producers regarding the essential support required for fostering a more sustainable food system. Through qualitative semi-structured interviews, this study was focusing on the relationships between producers and retailers, and it sought an understanding of both actors’ perspectives regarding their current experiences and perceptions.  In Sweden, a select few major players are dominating a significant portion of the market share. An unsustainable food system in Sweden, marked by power imbalances, limited opportunities for smaller producers and a lack of collaboration, demands solutions. The entire food system risks becoming increasingly vulnerable to future disruptions if these issues remain unaddressed. The findings reveal a complex network of interconnected factors and actors. Companies operate not only as one actor, but very often as several (e.g. producers, distributor, consumers) influencing the functioning of the entire chain. In essence, the collaboration between retailers and smaller producers in the Swedish food system presents a dynamic interplay of challenges and opportunities. While both parties acknowledge the importance of working together, there are still challenges to overcome, especially from the producers' perspective of working together with retailers.   The main theory used, The Ladder of Partnership, highlights the necessity for trust, mutual understanding, and investment in collaboration. While some companies are making efforts, more is required for a sustainable food system. Given the retailer’s market influence, they should lead by creating opportunities for smaller producers, making strategic decisions about market inclusion, and excluding less sustainable options. The thesis advocates for accountability and shared responsibility among all actors in the food system to achieve a sustainable future. The study concludes that the Swedish food value chain relies on collaboration among various actors, and without it, the system's functionality would be compromised.

This thesis examines the transformative potential of grassroots movements for sustainability and thus asks how citizen-led initiatives can contribute the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda. In focus is the permaculture movement and its efforts to promote small-scale farming in balance with ecological systems and principles. The study draws upon an ethnographic study of the permaculture farm Kosters Trädgårdar, located on the west coast of Sweden. Through extended participant observation and four interviews with owners and workers at Kosters Trädgårdar, this thesis seeks to identify the transformative visions, practices and agents mobilized by the permaculture movement. Although permaculture has a strong ecological heritage and is closely tied to small-scale farming practices, this study identifies a shift in the meaning of the term as explained hereafter. The experiences of Kosters Trädgårdar indicate that the cultivation of social community and alternative livelihoods is an equally important aspect of the permaculture movement that holds significant transformative potential. By inviting multiple actors to participate in and learn from the farming practices, and to enjoy and socialize around ecological food, Kosters Trädgårdar is effectively building local community and spreading its visions of sustainable food production beyond the circuits of the farm. Although we should not over-estimate the upscaling potential of local experiences, this permaculture farm emerges as a site of grassroot innovation, experimentation and learning and may hereby function as a testbed for the grand transformative visions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.