should concentrate on the food crisis and temporarily set aside the fight against climate change. This would be an unforgivable error as both problems are closely intertwined.
ernance for the financial market as well as the futures markets on a global scale to impede, among many other situations, cases of speculation on basic products and goods such as food.
Among other measures, in the short term we undoubtedly need a plan for a rapid response in terms of investment in the immediate agricultural sector; to which must be added a moratorium on biofuels until their role in rising food prices and their potential for sustainability have been made clear. Up to now many biofuels that are produced are as contaminating, in terms of CO2 emissions, as their petroleum-based counterparts. In the mid-term we need to establish a system of gov-
Nevertheless, it is also a question of habits. We need to begin to seriously consider the effects of cultural globalisation and homogenisation, if not a cultural sheep-mentality, and their ability to affect dietary habits. It is no longer a matter of defending gastronomical diversity as a complement to cultural diversity, but rather to seeing it as the key to nutrition on a global scale. If the tendency proves to be irreversible we will need to prepare ourselves for the consequences it will bring.
*Manuel Manonelles i Tarrag贸 Political commentator specialising in international relations, human rights and democratisation processes. Currently director of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace, Barcelona. He has been special advisor to the Co-chair of the UN High Level Group for the Alliance of Civilisations, as well as advisor to the coordinator of the Secretariat of the World Forum of Civil Society Networks (Ubuntu Forum), which is a member of the International Council of the World Social Forum. He has been an international electoral observer and supervisor for the OSCE and the EU on many occasions, and has participated in several international intergovernmental and non-governmental processes.
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