Healthy food for all How do we make healthy diets accessible and o. 39

N affordable for all? ssue I A framework for action

1 Executive Summary

More than one-third of the world population is overweight or suffering from ,1 proving that our current food system is inefficient and needs urgent transformations.

Unhealthy diets exact a high health cost, cause environmental destruction, increase the risk of outbreaks and lead to massive greenhouse gas emissions and global food insecurity. That is why a shift towards more resilient, healthy and climate-friendly food-systems is urgently needed. This is especially true for countries in the Global North,2 where diets rely excessively on animal-based proteins.

Unfortunately, healthy diets are neither accessible nor affordable for more than half of the world population. Governments, the private sector, farmers and consumers must all take action in order to implement transformative and ambitious changes in the food system. A shift to more -rich diets and more sustainable agricultural practices is a crucial condition to achieving the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.3 This is only realistic if ample Disclaimer financial incentives from governments and the private sector also are in A Environment place to help farmers and food producers transition to resilient, healthier Programme (UNEP) publication and more climate-friendly practices. Furthermore, a greater emphasis on series that presents views from providing information and transparency to consumers, so they can make major groups and stakeholders of informed decisions, is crucial to allowing them to play their role in supporting civil society or about issues that are relevant for them. a new, fairer food system. PERSPECTIVES is coordinated by UNEP’s Civil Society Unit. The presented views are entirely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UNEP.

Contact address

Civil Society Unit Governance Affairs Office United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) [email protected] https://www.unenvironment.org/ civil-society-engagement

November 2020

Cover Photo: © Pixabay

2 Introduction

As the world continues to battle more people to follow healthy and • High consumption of , the COVID-19 pandemic, while also sustainable diets. , , nuts and facing urgent nutritional, climate and whole environmental challenges, calls for The COVID-19 crisis has • At least 400 grams (or five radical transformations in our food demonstrated the link between portions) of and vegetables systems and economies are rising animal-sourced proteins and the per day from civil society and beyond. unleashing of potential global • Less than 10 per cent of total health disasters.7 energy intake from free The latest State of Food Security • Less than 30 per cent of total and (SOFI), co-published The COVID-19 outbreak has energy intake from by various UN agencies, including demonstrated the link between • Less than 5 grams of the Food and Agriculture our food-system and , Balanced, healthy-diets are key to Organization (FAO) and the World as UN Environment identifies the preventing numerous diseases. Food Programme, revealed many “increasing human demand for According to WHO, “Consuming a disturbing facts. By 2014, for animal ” and “unsustainable healthy throughout the life- instance, the number of people agricultural intensification” as two course helps to prevent malnutrition affected by hunger was estimated to of the seven key human-mediated in all its forms, as well as a range of be around 690 million people - or 8.9 disease drivers.8 Food choices can noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) per cent of the world population.4 either exacerbate, or mitigate the and related conditions.”11 WHO also risk of another global-health crisis.9 notes that increased production of While the current food system is processed foods, rapid urbanization failing to feed everybody, it is also Solutions and sustainable and changing lifestyles have led to a making a substantial part of the innovations are available to shift shift in dietary patterns. People are world population sick, with around dietary patterns towards a model now consuming more foods high in 1.9 billion adults and 340 million that is better for the health of energy, fats, free sugars and salt/ children worldwide classified as individuals, communities and the sodium, and many people do not eat either overweight or obese.5 planet. Governments, farmers, enough fruit, vegetables and other the private sector and consumers dietary fibre such as whole grains.”12 The ways that we are producing can make that change happen by and consuming our food also cooperating, starting immediately has enormous impact on global and pledging to leave nobody biodiversity and is not compatible behind. with the requirements for fulfilling the Paris Climate Agreement.6 As for 1. Unhealthy diets have higher the Sustainable Development Goals hidden costs While the current food (SDGs), the overwhelming majority system is failing to feed of analysis and research attests What is a ? everybody, it is also making that we are now clearly off-track There are different definitions a substantial part of the from achieving SDG 2 (zero hunger) of a healthy diet, and these may by 2030. This confirms what many vary across different regions and world population sick, with people have claimed for years: our cultures. However, according to the around 1.9 billion adults current food system is broken and World Health Organization (WHO), and 340 million children needs to be urgently and radically key elements of a healthy diet for worldwide classified as transformed in order to allow adults include (per day)10: (like the either overweight or obese. picture below)

3 In a nutshell, the WHO insists on two priorities, namely: 1. increasing intake of fruits and The is a good example of a flexible vegetables, while reducing fats; and healthy diet:18 2. drastically reducing intake, especially “It is symbolically represented by half a plate of fruits and vegetables. The processed sugar. other half consists of mostly whole grains and plant proteins (beans, lentils, pulses, nuts), as well as unsaturated plant oils, modest amounts of meat While there is no mention of an and dairy, and some added sugars and starchy vegetables.” exclusively plant-based diet, the recommendations give numerous “The diet is quite flexible and allows for adaptation to dietary needs, advice and tips on how to increase personal preferences, and cultural traditions. Vegetarian and vegan diets daily intake of dietary fibre. are two healthy options within the planetary health diet but are presented Those include: “Always including as personal choices.” vegetables in and eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as , preferably those that are in season.”13 On the other hand, the keywords associated with fats and salt are “reducing”, “limiting” and, when possible, “replacing.” A closer look at our dietary patterns, particularly in the Global North, shows how far we still are from those recommendations.

In Germany, the most populous country in the , the German Nutrition Society recommends limiting the consumption of meat to a maximum of 30 kilograms per person a year.14 However, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL) estimates that the real consumption of meat per inhabitants is almost double the maximum recommended consumption, at close to 60 kilograms a year.15 Germany is not an exception. Meat consumption is either higher or comparable in https://eatforum.org/learn-and-discover/the-planetary-health-diet/ industrialised countries like , the and the United States.16 Rebalancing our diets is one of the first steps to moving towards healthy diets, as these excesses come with numerous negative consequences, from harmful effects and plant-based diets to both The health cost to our health to environmental mitigate anthropogenic emissions The excessive consumption of meat, degradation and destructive and to lower the risk of non- salt, processed foods and sugar has greenhouse gas emissions. communicable diseases. In its 2019 an extremely high indirect economic brief to policymakers, it estimated cost. Essentially, it makes people In the last few years, well-researched that adopting a planetary-health sick. A recent article published publications such as The EAT diet combined with targets for by the Harvard Medical School Lancet have moved a step further sustainable food production could estimates that unhealthy eating by directly encouraging semi- prevent 11 million premature adult habits cost the American health vegetarian (“flexitarian”), vegetarian deaths a year.17 System around 50 billion dollars

4 a year – just for cardiometabolic they are expected to see their health diseases. 84 per cent of the total costs rise, due to the expected cost consists of treating heart The ‘one size fits all diet’ of increase of global and regional attacks and strokes (acute care), wealthy countries is neither fast-food chains and a growing which shows the importance of efficient nor healthy and demand by a rising middle-income promoting healthy eating habits as will not allow us to feed a class, inspired by the lifestyle and a preventive measure to avoiding nutritional patterns from countries higher future costs.19 growing world population in the Global North. This will within our planetary especially be true as shifts to more The article mentions sugar- boundaries. commoditised dietary patterns sweetened beverages and from the North, which include a very processed meats (typically, high percentage of processed meat , , nuggets continue, the “Diet-related health and sugar, accelerate. In Ghana for and other burgers almost costs linked to mortality and example, surged from 2 exclusively sourced from industrial non-communicable diseases are per cent in 1980 to close to 15 per factory farms) as the two biggest projected to exceed 1.3 trillion cent in 2020.21 With this in mind, contributors to these dramatic dollars per year by 2030.”20 The national governments, international costs. But items that are absent report adds that the adoption of institutions and investors should from our diets also play a major healthy diets could help reduce further explore the potential of role. Vegetables, fruits, and whole the direct and indirect costs by 97 nutritious traditional diets that grains – in particular nuts – per cent, proving how crucial the include a higher diversity of locally should be consumed in much promotion of nutritious food can be, produced protein sources, such greater quantities. both in terms of human health and as pulses and seeds, rather than the economic costs. exporting unhealthy modern dietary The SOFI report warns us that the patterns. The ‘one size fits all diet’ of world is currently off-track from Countries in the Global South are wealthy countries is neither efficient achieving SDG2 (zero hunger) not yet consuming such unhealthy nor healthy and will not allow us to by 2030. It also estimated that, amounts of animal-based products feed a growing world population if current consumption patterns and processed foods. However, within our planetary boundaries.

5 The environmental and produces greenhouse gas emission, significant part of the workforce in climate cost pollutes air and water, and destroys countries in the South.27 Reduced Resource-intensive and unhealthy wildlife – costs the environment food production and major food production and consumption the equivalent of about US$3 trillion disruptions in the already fragile also have a massive impact on every year. Externalized costs, such supply chain will also make food our climate and environment. as the funds required to purify more expensive and is expected The FAO estimates that livestock contaminated drinking water or to negatively impact nutrition accounts for around 14.5 per cent to treat diseases related to poor worldwide. Given the disastrous of global anthropogenic greenhouse nutrition, are also unaccounted implications of poor nutrition for gas emissions.22 The hidden for by the industry, meaning that the immune system, the most environmental cost of unhealthy communities and taxpayers may vulnerable populations are at an diets is even higher than the health be picking up the tab without even even higher risk of more acute costs – the SOFI report estimates realizing it.”25 COVID-19 infection. On the other that “the diet-related social cost of hand, evidence is arising that people greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with their own garden are associated with current dietary 3. The impact of COVID-19 on faring better off than those without patterns is projected to exceed food security in adapting to this new reality.28 USD 1,7 trillion per year by 2030”. Again, adopting healthy diets would Income loss, disruption and Wealthier countries, on the other dramatically reduce the bill, in this prospects of building forward hand, have seen a more nuanced case by an estimated 41-to-74%.23 Since COVID-19 started spreading impact. The debate over factory throughout the world in 2020, the farms, ultra-industrialised and The 2019 International Panel on existing patterns of inequality processed foods (and its methods Climate Change (IPCC) Special have only gotten worse. While the of productions) and the abuse of Report on Climate Change and Land recession in the Global North has workers within the food industry also encouraged “diversification been – to some extent – made has reached a more mainstream in the food system” as it can manageable by the existence audience.29 COVID outbreaks in reduce risks from climate change. of safety nets and government numerous slaughterhouses and It suggests that, “Balanced diets, programmes, the consequences meat-processing factories have featuring plant-based foods, such in the Global South have been forced some governments to react as those based on coarse grains, disastrous and have yet to be and consider stricter regulations, legumes, fruits and vegetables, nuts seriously measured or fully for example the treatment and and seeds, and animal-sourced food acknowledged. condition of foreign workers at meat produced in resilient, sustainable and processing facilities in Germany.30 low-GHG emission systems, present The FAO recently warned us that we major opportunities for adaptation risk a “global food emergency” if we The fear of contracting COVID-19 and mitigation while generating don’t take action. An additional 83- has also led many people to significant co-benefits in terms of to-132 million people may go hungry reconsider their diets in terms human health (high confidence).”24 as a consequence of the current of the impact on their immune global health crisis.26 system. The first concrete Once again, the benefits of measures to combat obesity, like switching from meat-centric eating Home office and social distancing the adoption of the ‘nutriscore’ to a plant-rich diet are numerous are not an option for the vast in some European countries and would substantially help us majority of the world population. and attempts of mainstreaming to tackle the health, climate and Farmers and food producers are plant-rich diets in canteens, have environmental challenges that we facing the dilemma of putting their only been implemented recently. collectively face. health at risk by interacting with Similarly, larger supermarket chains others on fields and in markets and discounters have increased In the same way that our current or risking the loss of their entire their fair trade and organically unhealthy dietary patterns are income by staying at home. grown and produced food offers. extremely costly for our health Similarly, lockdowns and curfews The global conversation about the systems, they also generate even have had a disastrous impact on benefits of traditional, indigenous higher costs through the impact farmers who depend on regular agricultural practices that are more of negative externalities on our transport to market their fresh resilient, sustainable and often more environment and climate. In a produce. The same risks are faced nutritious (e.g. diversifying crops recent article, UNEP estimated that on a daily basis by workers in the depending on regions and soils) is “industrialized farming – which informal sectors, which represent a also gaining traction. Recent data

6 from the FAO seem to confirm Market experts have predicted that market size of €1.5bn and €0.8bn this trend, as the production and the rise of plant-based products respectively by 2025.”33 consumption of animal-based will continue to accelerate in the products seems to be stagnating future. According to Deloitte, “The The allocation of public funds or declining.31 This year, per-capita surge in the market for plant-based to build forward and restart the meat consumption is set to fall to alternatives is expected to continue economy will also play a major role its lowest level in nine years, with across all geographies, with the in shifting towards more resilient last year’s 3% decrease representing North American meat substitutes production methods and healthier the biggest decline since at least market expected to grow by a larger food choices. Governments and 2000. The causes are numerous — percentage than Europe, with strong international financial institutions economic crisis, lockdown, animal growth also anticipated in APAC will need to support sustainable diseases, social distancing and and LAMEA regions, albeit from a and healthier food products and rising awareness about healthy, smaller base than in Europe. The production methods if they are sustainable diets — but early data North American meat substitutes serious about achieving both the suggests that the sales of plant- market is expected to grow to €1.8bn SDGs and the Paris Agreement. based alternatives, which had been by 2025, an 80 percent increase from constantly rising before the crisis, 2018. The APAC and LAMEA markets increased substantially during the are forecast to grow strongly to a 4. How do we promote healthy COVID-19 lockdown.32 diets?

What does it cost and who can afford it? Today, adopting a healthy diet is not viable for the vast majority of the world population. The 2020 SOFI report tackles this issue of the cost and affordability of healthy diets in depth. ‘Cost’ is defined as what people have to pay to secure a specific diet, while ‘affordability’ relates to the cost of the diet relative to income. One of the key learnings here is that healthy diets are unaffordable and sometimes even inaccessible for a substantial proportion of the world population.

A healthy diet is estimated to cost an average of 60% more than one which only meets the requirements for essential nutrients.34 As for the over 1.5 billion people worldwide who cannot even afford a diet that meets the levels of essential nutrients, their chances of accessing healthy foods within the current food-system are next to none. It is estimated that a healthy diet would cost 5 times as much as a diet that only meets dietary energy needs through the consumption of a starchy staple.

The question of availability is also relevant as ‘food deserts’ are a reality, even in rich countries. Urbanisation and changes in

7 working conditions and habits have and indirect costs of current health and resilience in food contributed to the explosion of diets are already massive and will production. “Building forward” cheap, ultra-processed foods, which increase further without immediate means that we have to stop are often the only available foods in transformative action. financing harmful practices, such entire areas.35 Although fruits and as industrial animal agriculture, vegetables have seen an increase in Accelerating the shift with public money. On the other availability worldwide over the past towards better diets by hand, massive subsidies will be years, Asia is the only continent consistent policies and necessary to allow farmers to shift where there is sufficient supply reallocating subsidies their production methods to more to meet the recommended FAO/ We urgently need to redirect public resilient practices and towards more WHO daily recommendation of 400 money – and agricultural policies in climate-friendly food products. grams a day.36 general – towards more nutrition- Increasing the tax rate on unhealthy sensitive investment. Policy, and resource-intensive foods while Fruits and vegetables are also at all levels, from sustainable lowering it for fruits, vegetables, sufficiently available and generally procurement methods within legumes and other plant-based affordable in most upper-middle- institutions to subsidies, must be foods can help nudge consumers income countries, but affordability coherent to help establish healthy towards more nutritious and is not automatically followed by a dietary patterns that are good for sustainable diets. shift towards consumption patterns everyone. Nationally Determined that constitute healthier diets. The Contributions (NDCs) have to Governments also have to reject report notes that while high-income include strong commitments to harmful and unfair practices countries do have the highest levels transform our food-systems toward and regulations that target more of affordability, they also have some sustainable consumption and sustainable consumption habits and of the highest obesity rates, showing production, including Food Loss healthier eating patterns. The failed that consumers do not always and Waste and Planetary Health attempt to ban the commercial necessarily favour the healthier Diets, “[which] should become use of the descriptive term “veggie option just because it is available. critical conditions for the countries’ burger” in the European Union is an and global food systems recovery interesting case of special interests This all shows that shifting to and resilience,” as acknowledged in defending the status quo and trying healthy diets globally is not yet a recent report co-published to slow down the expansion of an easy option in the current by UNEP.37 more climate-friendly products.38 context. Affordability is not enough; These proposed regulations also governments need to actively This is particularly important in contradict many principles of the encourage the consumption of countries from the Global North, as EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy and are nutritious and healthy foods by the overconsumption of resource- not compatible with the climate implementing concrete policies intensive foods has direct negative strategy of reducing greenhouse gas and incentives. Requesting more effects on the South, including the emissions at the European level. transparency from producers on destruction of livelihoods for animal the health impact of and feeds to the impact caused by Education for children around food restricting marketing drastically — climate change. and nutrition must immediately as it has been done with tobacco become a mandatory element — is crucial. This is also in the Subsidies and the taxation are two of school programmes to tackle long-term budgetary interest of tools that governments can use to excessive processed meat governments, as the externalities move towards more sustainability, consumption and hidden sugars in processed foods. Considering the dramatic increase in and overweight adults, this is a very serious and urgent matter. We urgently need to redirect public Schools and caterers should also money – and agricultural policies in aim to always take sustainability general – towards more nutrition-sensitive and health factors into account when deciding what food is to investment. Policy, at all levels, from be served. It has been frequently sustainable procurement methods within observed, across regions, that the institutions to subsidies, must be coherent amount of fruits and vegetables to help establish healthy dietary patterns served to children is insufficient, that are good for everyone. while carbohydrates, sugar, meat or

8 processed foods are an excessive immediately. Generally speaking, The recently published article by part of lunch, therefore favouring the governments should not be afraid Santo, et. al. “Considering Plant- establishment of unhealthy dietary of trying to nudge the habits of their Based Meat Substitutes and patterns. citizens in a healthier direction, Cell-Based Meats: A without impinging on their ability to and Food Systems Perspective” Tackling food waste is also an make rational individual choices. provides interesting insights on urgent matter, as more than 30% the potential impact of these of the food produced worldwide is Plant-based alternatives as products, by directly comparing eventually lost or wasted.39 This part of the transition those with the impact of farmed is neither economically viable nor As mentioned earlier, plant-based meat production.42 When it comes morally acceptable, particularly alternatives are gaining traction to the impact on the environment given the number of people who are and increasingly becoming part and climate change, the verdict is undernourished. Governments can of the everyday life of average clear: plant-based substitutes have take action; the case of France’s citizens in countries with high meat a much lower impact, on average, Food Waste bill authored by consumption. While the market than most farmed meat products. Guillaume Garot shows that strong was estimated to be around 4.6 The authors remind us, for example, actions with clear incentives can billion dollars globally in 2018, that, globally, half to three-quarters work for the benefit of all. it is projected to reach 85 billion of agricultural land is used for livestock, which only accounts for 18% of and 25% of proteins in the global food supply.43

From a food-safety standpoint, France’s Food Waste bill farmed meat also presents numerous challenges and potential While the world is aiming to achieve a 50% reduction in food waste risks. Santos, et. al. note that by 2030 (SDG2), in 2016, France became the first country to pass a “Many of the bacterial pathogens national regulation specifically targeting food waste. responsible for foodborne illness— such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, The French law does not ban food waste at all retail levels but Campylobacter, and Listeria—live mandates big supermarkets (above 4.500 square feet) to sign an in the guts of animals. Pathogens agreement with food assistance organisations to donate edible of animal origin can enter the food excesses. supply via multiple pathways, such as if manure is transported via While not a direct donation mandate or total food waste ban, the runoff onto nearby produce fields or legislation received support from most stakeholders and proved contaminates water sources used effective. One year after its implementation, food assistance for irrigation.” The slaughtering organizations observed a 30% increase in donations, while the process can also present risks percentage of supermarkets donating rose from 66% to 90% if animals’ digestive tracks are between 2016 and 2018.40 accidentally severed, while the excessive use of antibiotics also brings additional hazards. The social impact is also to be considered – the authors mention that more Other areas that could accelerate dollars by 2030.41 This presents than 25% of meat workers in indoor the shift towards healthier and massive opportunities for green confinement suffer from respiratory more sustainable diets include entrepreneurs and businesses, and illnesses, and that the recent regulations around marketing and is already helping many people intensification of food production packaging, where evident solutions transition towards more plant-rich did not benefit rural communities already exist. Limiting or banning diets. This could be the trigger to and economies.44 commercials by the private-sector lowering the impact of the negative for unhealthy processed foods and externalities of our current resource- From a health perspective, it is sodas, especially those aimed at intensive food system. Let’s keep in worth noting that plant-based young people, and providing clear, mind that we – and the generations meat substitutes are being comprehensive information on the that follow – will eventually have to increasingly targeted at individuals nutritional value of foods are two pay for our actions. with high meat consumption. solutions that can be implemented These alternatives are mostly

9 acknowledged as a good source size-fits-all approach, especially of protein, with improvements to when it comes to the potential be made for some of them from a impact of cellular agriculture. Based on the limited nutrition standpoint, especially when Numerous studies show that these evidence and data it comes to the amount of salt and alternative products generally have available about this new saturated fats. a much lower negative impact on sector, it is clear that plant- the environment and climate than based alternatives, as well Based on the limited evidence products from conventional animal as cell-based meat, will and data available about this new agriculture. They are also a good sector, it is clear that plant-based source of protein, and, while not become an increasingly alternatives, as well as cell-based as healthy as pure, non-processed important part of food meat, will become an increasingly legumes (, lentils, systems, especially in important part of food systems, beans, or peas) and vegetables, countries with an already especially in countries with an these products can help the high consumption of already high consumption of animal- average consumer to reduce their animal-based products. based products. The diversity that consumption of farmed meat and exists across nations, cultures and to slowly transition towards more regions does not allow for a one- sustainable and healthy diets. Finally, it is important to note that the benefit of plant-based meat substitutes, from a public health Cell-based agriculture45 and environmental perspective, will only be reaped if the demand Cellular agriculture is the production of animal-based products from offsets farmed-meat production, cell cultures rather than directly from animals. rather than simply adding to the combined production of farmed The final products aim to resemble conventional meat, eggs, and dairy meats and its alternatives. in terms of taste and structure while offering significant benefits for human health, the environment, and .

A number of startups and companies are currently working on developing a variety of cultured foods, including beef, pork, chicken, fish, seafood, milk, and cheese.

10 What needs to happen in the next 10 years:

GOVERNMENTS FARMERS PRIVATE SECTOR CONSUMERS

Adjust tax rates Accelerate transition Accelerate the Lower taxation rate on to sustainable Invest in the future ongoing shift fruits and vegetables, agriculture Support a massive Make plant-rich diets increase rate on Use future subsidies investment in healthy the norm and reduce processed foods and to increase the and sustainable the consumption animal-based products. production of healthy food innovations, of animal- crops, vegetables and divest from industrial sourced proteins Redirect subsidies fruits and adopting animal agriculture and to the amounts and Just Transition regenerative methods reconnect brands with recommended by Stop financing industrial instead of using large- local and sustainable health experts. animal agriculture, scale monocultures producers. increase public funds for and industrial animal Awareness regenerative agriculture farming. Inform and label Become aware of and plant-based proteins Give clear and the health implications Farmers and food Local and sufficient information of unhealthy producers have to sustainable on nutritional diets and foster get paid fairly for the Organize with quality and climate / intergenerational food they produce and consumers and local environmental footprint exchange of urgently need massive authorities to support of each product knowledge. public support to local production and through labelling. transition to sustainable distribution at a production. fair price. Use technology Increase traceability Foster innovation and fight food waste Adopt a legal framework through innovative favouring healthy plant- solutions, e.g. apps based innovations and and sharing/circular progresses in cellular economy mechanisms; agriculture. support food banks.

Education Catering Make healthy and Shift procurement sustainable nutrition towards healthier a mandatory part of and more sustainable school programs, raise catering to increase awareness on impacts plant-based offerings. of unhealthy diets. Standards Sanction food waste Establish ambitious Make excessive food and binding business waste history by creating standards at all levels. donation mechanisms. Conclusion

Broad transformative action is urgently needed to feed a growing, increasingly urban world population with nutritious food, tackle climate change and halt the destruction of our ecosystems. Massively reducing the production and consumption of resource-intensive animal products in the Global North will have evident co-benefits for health and environmental sustainability.

There is no path to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement if we don’t fundamentally change our current dietary patterns towards more plant-based protein sources. While an increasing number of consumers and businesses have paved the way for hope, it is now up to decision makers and national governments to take action. Integrating ambitious food NDCs, redirecting subsidies, taxing unhealthy foods, investing in education and supporting sustainable plant-based food innovations is not a guarantee of success, but a condition to avoid future disasters.

12 Endnotes

1 https://www.globalcause.co.uk/world-food-day/malnutrition-is-a-world-health-crisis-says-who-expert/# 2 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/16/new-plant-focused-diet-would-transform- planets-future-say-scientists 3 https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/09/1071412 4 The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, WHO 2020) https://www.wfp.org/publications/state-food-security-and-nutrition-world-sofi-report-2020 5 WHO, 2016, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight 6 https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/09/1071412 7 UN Environment, 2020, https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/report/preventing-future-zoonotic- disease-outbreaks-protecting-environment-animals-and 8 UN Environment, 2020, https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/report/preventing-future-zoonotic- disease-outbreaks-protecting-environment-animals-and 9 ProVeg International, 2020, https://proveg.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/PV_Food_and_ Pandemics_Report_Digital.pdf 10 WHO, 2020, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet 11 WHO: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases 12 WHO, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet 13 WHO, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet 14 DGE, https://www.dge.de/presse/pm/weniger-fleisch-auf-dem-teller-schont-das-klima/ 15 https://www.bmel-statistik.de/ernaehrung-fischerei/versorgungsbilanzen/fleisch/ 16 BBC, https://www.bbc.com/news/health-47057341 17 Eat lancet, https://eatforum.org/content/uploads/2019/01/EAT_brief_policymakers.pdf 18 Eatforum.org, https://eatforum.org/learn-and-discover/the-planetary-health-diet/ 19 The high cost of a poor diet, Harvard Health Publishing, https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-high-cost-of-a-poor-diet 20 The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, WHO 2020) https://www.wfp.org/publications/state-food-security-and-nutrition-world-sofi-report-2020 21 New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/02/health/ghana-kfc-obesity.html?_r=0&utm_ content=buffer36267&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer 22 FAO, http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/197623/icode/ 23 FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, WHO, “The State of food security and nutrition in the World, 2020”, http://www. fao.org/3/ca9692en/online/ca9692en.html# 24 IPCC, Special Report on Climate Change and Land, https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/ 25 UN Environment, https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/10-things-you-should-know- about-industrial-farming 26 http://www.fao.org/2019-ncov/q-and-a/impact-on-food-and-agriculture/en/ 27 World Bank, Beaten or Broken, Informality and Covid-19, https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/ handle/10986/34517 28 https://foodtank.com/news/2020/08/home-gardening-promotes-mental-health-during-covid-19/ 29 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53177628 30 BMAS, https://www.bmas.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2020/bundeskabinett-verabschiedet- arbeitsschutzkontrollgesetz.html

13 31 FAO, Food Outlook 2020, p. 6-7 http://www.fao.org/3/ca9509en/CA9509EN.pdf 32 FAO, http://www.fao.org/3/ca9509en/CA9509EN.pdf 33 Deloitte, Plant based alternatives, 2019 https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/uk/ Documents/consumer-business/deloitte-uk-plant-based-alternatives.pdf 34 The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, WHO 2020) https://www.wfp.org/publications/state-food-security-and-nutrition-world-sofi-report-2020 35 https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/45014/30940_err140.pdf 36 The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, WHO 2020) https://www.wfp.org/publications/state-food-security-and-nutrition-world-sofi-report-2020 37 Enhancing NDCs for food systems, recommendations for decision makers; https://wedocs.unep.org/ bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/33598/ndcfS.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 38 https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/apr/04/eu-to-ban-non-meat-product-labels-veggie-burgers-and- vegan-steaks 39 UNEP, https://www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/resource-efficiency/what-we-do/sustainable- lifestyles/food-and-food-waste 40 https://foodtank.com/news/2019/06/opinion-frances-ban-on-food-waste-three-years-later/ 41 https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/beyond-meat-ubs-plant-based-meat-market-85-billi on-2030-2019-7-1028367962# 42 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2020.00134/full 43 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2020.00134/full 44 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2020.00134/full 45 ProVeg International, https://proveg.com/blog/what-is-cellular-agriculture/

46 FAO, http://www.fao.org/3/ca9509en/CA9509EN.pdf McQuistan, C., Trogrlić, R. Š., Acharya, S. & Irfanullah, H. M. Eco-solutions: How to build a case for their scaling up? Flood Resilience Portal https:// floodresilience.net/blogs/eco-solutions-how-to-build-a-case-for-their-scaling-up (2020).

Author:

Raphael, Podselver, Proveg International, International Policy and Public Affairs Specialist

Raphaël Podselver works as International Policy and Public Affairs specialist at the food awareness organization ProVeg International in Berlin. He graduated from Sciences Po Paris with a focus on European Affairs and has experience in political advocacy in Brussels as well as in business development for tech start-ups in Germany. In his work, he focuses on the impact of animal agriculture on climate-change and the environment and advocates for a shift towards less resource intensive and more plant-based food systems. [email protected] https://proveg.com/

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