Food Systems for the Planet

Tuesday, 25th July, 11:00-12:30

By 2050, feeding a global population of almost 10 billion will require a radical transformation in how food is produced, processed, traded and consumed. Current food systems are failing to deliver overall positive outcomes for people, prosperity or the planet. To compound this, the world is facing a Triple Planetary Crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution. This Leadership dialogue will explore progress made in how environmental sustainability issues have been considered in country level actions, the barriers that farmers and other stakeholders face as well as enabling frameworks and means of implementation and scaling up.

The triple planetary crisis to which food systems contribute pose a significant threat to future capacity to deliver healthy and affordable diets for all. Current food systems contribute to over 1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions, up to 80 per cent of biodiversity loss and deforestation, generate significant amount of pollution and use up to 70% of freshwater. Further 1/3 of all food produced is either lost or wasted and our food system generate $12 trillion in hidden social, economic and environmental costs. Food systems need to be transformed and be part of solution to the global environment, health and food security crises.

The session will focus on the following questions:

How can food systems transformation help to tackle the Triple Planetary Crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution?
Are environmental issues being mainstreamed in the follow-up to the Summit in policy frameworks like the National Food Systems Pathways?
If science shows that environmental sustainability in food systems is achievable, what is stopping this from happening and how can these barriers be overcome?

This sessions will promote:

Mainstreaming: That integrated approaches including environmental and social sustainability are considered a foundational element of all food systems strategies, policies and actions going forward.
Incentives: That integrated practices that increase resilience and address the Triple Planetary Crisis are incentivized through public and private funding mechanisms.
Accountability: That collective actions that increase environmental sustainability are contribute to the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and associated frameworks as well as the 2030 Agenda.