A new report launched at the ongoing Bonn, Germany, Climate Change Conference warns the world is running out of time to transform food systems and avoid catastrophic climate change effects. The report has been produced by a coalition of leading international food organizations and businesses and outlines the key actions for policymakers to take. 

It shows that food systems are responsible for up to 31% of global greenhouse gas emissions and that if nothing changes, they will push the planet beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius by mid-21st century.

It calls for food and agriculture to be at the heart of global climate dialogue and negotiations, especially in the run-up to the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, later this year.

Moreover, the scientists highlight how “on our current path, emissions from food systems alone will exceed between 2051-2063 the 1.5°C target for all human emissions.

“The Bonn Climate Change Conference is a critical moment to elevate food systems within global climate negotiations,” says Dr. Lucy Wallace, chief of staff at EIT Food – EIT Food serves as the secretariat for the Food Systems Partnership.

Costa Rica aims to produce “Adapted Food Guides” highlighting the benefits of consuming local and traditional foods.COP27 failed to fully recognize the role of food systems in strengthening climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience, according to Wallace, who states that “this year we must go further and faster.” 

 “The Food Systems Partnership is calling on the COP28 presidency to prioritize the role of food systems. In the new Pathways report, we are advocating for international efforts to increase ambition, urgency and scale of action. We cannot achieve any climate targets without incorporating and implementing a more holistic transformation of our food systems.” 

Six themes
The partnership proposes six themes for parties to adopt throughout the negotiations in Bonn and beyond.

The first is to enhance collaboration and inclusion at all food system levels. The report highlights the importance of engaging with vulnerable groups, such as smallholder farmers, indigenous peoples, women and youth, who have valuable knowledge and experience in food systems and climate adaptation.

It showcases examples of countries that have adopted democratic and equitable approaches, such as Colombia and Canada. The report argues that gender integration is essential for effective and fair food system transitions.

The second theme is to enable a transition to healthy, nutritious and sustainable diets. The report highlights how Costa Rica is one of the few countries that has included food and nutrition in its updated climate plan. 

The country aims to produce “Adapted Food Guides” highlighting the benefits of consuming local and traditional foods, such as indigenous and seasonal products. The guides will also inform people about the nutritional value, cultural heritage, food security and emission reduction of these foods.

Third is to embrace agricultural reform and nature-positive production. The report highlights the benefits of “nature-positive” solutions such as agroecology and regenerative methods for food production, which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost biodiversity and restore degraded ecosystems. 

Furthermore, the report adds that sustainable fishing and aquaculture can support protein diversification efforts and healthier diets. It cites Liberia’s example of pledging to reduce agricultural emissions by promoting low-emission rice cultivation and other practices.

Fourth is to increase action against food loss and waste. A circular approach that reduces and repurposes food waste can help mitigate climate change and improve nutrition, health and livelihoods. Most countries still need to fully integrate food systems into their climate strategies and action plans.

Post-harvest measures such as improved harvesting, storage and transport can extend the lifespan of food and reduce the need for more production. Gambia is an example of a country that has adopted a holistic strategy to address food loss and waste in its climate action plan.

Fifth is to transform financial mechanisms to support sustainable, equitable food systems. This includes promoting collaboration across different funding sources, redirecting public sector finance away from harmful food and farming practices, and increasing transparency on the costs and impacts of policy implementation. 

For example, Germany has committed to moving away from harmful subsidies and investing in more sustainable production and consumption.

Last is to champion accurate monitoring and report, to measure and convey progress on the implementation accurately.

Broad alliance
Global Food Systems, COP28, The Food Systems Partnership, which includes EIT Food, the Food and Land Use Coalition, Clim-Eat, the Environmental Defense Fund, Carrier and Coalition of Action for Soil Health, was formed after the first ever Food Systems Pavilion at COP27 last year. 

The Pathways report draws on national action plans, Nationally Determined Contributions analysis and assessments from food organizations such as WWF, the Global Alliance for the Future of Food and the Food and Land Use Coalition.

The organizations highlight that most countries still need to fully integrate food systems into their climate strategies and action plans.

“Our global food systems both contribute to climate change and offer some of the biggest opportunities to help solve the climate crisis while at the same time bolstering equity for smallholder food producers, ensuring inclusivity for Indigenous Peoples and enhancing community well-being. Together we can make significant progress at COP28 and beyond,”  Tom Grasso, VP of climate-resilient food systems at the environmental defense fund, concludes.