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GLOBAL SOLUTIONS JOURNAL ∙ ISSUE 5 BEYOND GREENWASHING: INSTRUMENTS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROTECT THE PLANET’S RESOURCES The of the future

The challenge of creating a healthy and

The author: There is no viable future for the planet if humanity does not successfully shift to- José Luiz Chicoma ward a diet that is both healthy and sus- Executive Director, tainable. We’ve been focused on the first Ethos Public Policy Lab objective for decades, so we’re probably pretty close to achieving this goal, right? Wrong. The “triple burden” of malnutrition is global, and it’s getting worse: More than 820 million people experience .1 More than a quarter of the global popula- tion lacks the necessary nutrients in their diet.2 Across all continents, food insecu- rity is more prevalent among women than among men. One out of every five school- age children and almost two out of every five adults are overweight or obese, and currently causes more than 4 mil- lion deaths worldwide. The institution: Now what if we add the additional chal- lenge of making our diets not only healthy, but sustainable? The complexity of the po- Bauer, S., Berger, A, & Iacobuta, G. (2019). With or without you: How the G20 could advance global action towards climate-friendly sustainable development. Briefing Paper xx/2019. Bonn: German Development Institute / tential solutions increases exponentially. Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE). Policymakers, politicians, legislators and Berger, A., Cooper, A., & Grimm, S. (2019). A decade of G20 summitry: Assessing the benefits, limitations and experts around the world are struggling future of global club governance in turbulent times. South African Journal of International Affairs 26(4) Special Issue. Ethos Public Policy Lab transforms research to address these issues. If humanity has Chan, S., Brandi, C., & Bauer, S. (2016). Aligning transnational climate action with international climate and experiences into clear and concrete public been unable to improve the indicators as- governance: The road from Paris. RECIEL 25(2), 238–247. policy recommendations that address the sociated with global hunger and , Falkner, R. (2016). A minilateral solution for global climate change? On bargaining efficiency, club benefits most pressing problems and challenges facing how are we going to reduce the almost and international legitimacy. Perspectives on Politics 14(1), 87–101. development and progress in Mexico and Latin st 37% of greenhouse gases that are pro- New Climate Economy. (2018). Unlocking the inclusive growth story of the 21 century: Accelerating climate America. From innovative economies to susta- action in urgent times. Washington, DC: The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. Retrieved from duced by the food systems that support https://newclimateeconomy.report/2018/ inable food systems and transparent institu- our diets?3 How can we shift away from the Scholz, I., & Brandi, C. (2018). Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Achievements tions, we encourage positive change to further and limitations of the G20 presidency in 2017. Global Summitry 10. DOI: 10.1093/global/guy003 economic, social, and political development. current focus on monocultures, one of the

122 123 GLOBAL SOLUTIONS JOURNAL ∙ ISSUE 5 BEYOND GREENWASHING: INSTRUMENTS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROTECT THE PLANET’S RESOURCES primary causes of reduced biodiversity and complies with the many nutritional and If we’re lucky, a new generation of aca- take the form of dedicated food system the increased extinction of species?4 How environmental variables and that is also demics, scientists and policymakers that ministries; in the worst case, inter-minis- can we ensure that our agricultural prac- affordable, safe for consumers, fair for have a systemic vision of food systems will try commissions that are empowered with tices do not have devastating impacts on workers and socially and culturally accept- take on these challenges, although this decision-making and execution capacities. soil and water,5 as current practices have able is something entirely new for policy- will be dependent on the allocation of ad- The urgent need for systemic action is caused decreased productivity across al- makers. ditional public funds to universities and re- clear, reflected in the increasingly alarm- most a quarter of all land area, use 70% of Although the slow response is par- search centers. ing reports regarding the future of the freshwater resources, and are major con- tially due to the complexity of the issue, planet and the destruction of ecosystems10, tributors to water pollution?6 it is also rooted in a structural flaw in ex- agriculture and biodiversity11 and food and Although we’re decades behind where isting academic approaches and profes- »Nutrition, nutrition.12 Although wealthy countries are we should be, the last few years have seen sional development: the lack of a systemic unlikely to significantly adjust their diets, the emergence of concrete proposals to understanding of food systems. Nutrition, agriculture to the detriment of both people and planet, support the shift towards the sustainable agriculture and the environment have tra- immediate steps must also be taken to in- and healthy diets that humanity so des- ditionally been separated and treated as and the fluence food transitions around the world perately needs. The “” isolated disciplines, with specialists that in order to ensure that low- and middle- proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission7 focus on a deep understanding of their environment income countries do not adopt the harmful last year grabbed headlines around the particular vertical, rather than the vari- diets of wealthy countries, which are high world.8 Much of this media attention was ous horizontal, interconnections that exist have in , , and animal prod- due to the commission’s recommenda- among them. This is also reflected in the ucts. tions regarding the consumption of no organization of national, state and local traditionally Urgent action must also be taken in more than 98 grams of red meat per week, governments, where siloed ministries and an effort to make the most of a window of a significant reduction for North American agencies focus on , agricul- been treated opportunity that has emerged: the United consumers, whose current dietary pat- tural development and the environment, Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals terns include almost 300% more red meat respectively, without any coordination or as isolated (SDGs). The SDGs present a systemic vi- than the recommended intake. However, cooperation across these three focuses. sion through the indicators associated the response to and coverage of the pub- Today’s reality is also the result of the disciplines.« with hunger, nutrition, agricultural de- lication helped position the importance of extreme simplification of the issue of food velopment, biodiversity, the environment diet within public opinion. and nutrition that occurred following World and resource sustainability. The agenda Last year the FAO also proposed nutri- War II, which led to a global focus on a sin- However, the health and well-being also incorporates significant global coop- tional guidelines in its publication Sustain- gle indicator: the number of people that of the planet (and of humanity) can’t wait eration mechanisms and clear goals and able and Healthy Diets: Guiding Principles. are hungry, measured using caloric in- that long. In the short term, it is urgently has an unprecedented level of convening In addition to being healthy and sustain- take.9 This produced an extreme increase necessary to adapt our governments to power among governments, civil society, able, the diets proposed in this document in intensive agriculture focused purely reflect a systemic, overarching vision of academia, individual experts and the pri- are socially and culturally acceptable and on yield. Although this system success- food systems. This includes national, state vate sector. economically accessible. A handful of fully increased yields, it also contributed and local food councils that include repre- And perhaps that last point, that con- countries, including , Germany, the to global warming, destroyed soil and con- sentatives from all government agencies vening power, is also the primary weak- Netherlands, Norway and , have taminated water sources with agrochemi- involved in issues of food and nutrition, as ness of the SDGs: Who, exactly, has a joined the cause, publishing their own nu- cals, drastically depleted biodiversity and, well as representatives from civil society, seat at the table? Ideally, everyone’s voice trition and sustainability guidelines. ultimately, provided to feed academia, individual experts and more. It would be heard. It is impossible to create These efforts all represent important an ever-increasing population, but did not is also necessary to implement concrete scalable solutions without including the progress, but are they too little too late? provide the key nutrients necessary for a reforms to the policy decision-making pro- enormous companies responsible for cre- Identifying and supporting a diet that balanced diet. cess. In the best case scenario, this would ating the food products that are available

124 125 GLOBAL SOLUTIONS JOURNAL ∙ ISSUE 5 BEYOND GREENWASHING: INSTRUMENTS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROTECT THE PLANET’S RESOURCES to the general public. But how can these sition from industry around the world. An support of these diets, including sustain- all the Sustainable Development Goals, actors be involved in the process without example can be seen in the recent efforts able and healthy dietary guides that incor- including through the implementation of creating conflicts of interest? to implement measures that require clear porate clear metrics regarding nutrition regulations and new and adjusted incen- Most of the solutions that support a warning labels on ultra-processed foods in and environmental impact. tives. Although these changes might have shift towards healthy and sustainable diets Chile,13 Peru, Uruguay and Mexico as part This public attention must also be a negative impact on many industries, they stand in direct opposition to the financial of efforts to respond to the public health channeled to support other policies with represent a net positive for humanity and interests of multinational companies that crisis of obesity and other food-related ill- both short- and long-term results, includ- for the planet. In order to reach this ob- offer ultra-processed food, fertilizers, food nesses. In Mexico, supporters of taxes on ing awareness campaigns, the urban food jective, it is absolutely crucial for govern- processing services, etc. Supporting the sugary drinks and junk food even had to agenda and food access, the drastic reduc- ments to be free from conflict of interest. diet of the future must include the imple- deal with government surveillance.14 tion of food waste and more. Although all stakeholders should have a mentation of public policies and regula- The need for multiple solutions across The diet of the future is both healthy voice, governments must prioritize the tions that drastically change food incen- various fronts is clear. Novel and innova- and sustainable. But it must also support well-being of their citizens over any and all tives, as well as what food is available, how tive food solutions, such as the use of in- successfully achieving the objectives of commercial interests. it is produced and how it is made. sects, algae and lab-grown meat, have the potential to offer nutritional and environ- mentally sustainable alternatives.15 It is » The diet of the important to rapidly deepen research and compare these new alternatives to exist- future is both ing and animal products, par- ticularly in terms of quantifying nutrients, healthy and impact on ecosystems and the environ- ment and ways to successfully achieve the sustainable.« acceptance of these alternatives based on the preferences, traditions and customs of each culture. These measures include national Many people have already heard of the guides for healthy and sustainable diets, ,16 whose foundation is taxes on ultra-processed foods that are built on , , herbs, nuts and then used to subsidize healthy products, whole grains, which are complemented by clear and obvious health warnings on generous quantities of olive oil and fish, ultra-processed foods, regulations to en- moderate amounts of dairy, chicken and courage exclusive breastfeeding for the eggs and limited amounts of red meat. first six months of a child’s life and mixed There’s also the new Nordic diet17 and the breastfeeding up to and beyond two years Mexican milpa diet.18 Based on local sus- of age, regulation of agrochemical resi- tainable production, cultural preferences due limits on foodstuffs, restrictions that and traditional knowledge accumulated ensure that only healthy and sustainable over the course of hundreds of years, each foods are available at schools and hospi- of these diets offers adequate alternatives tals, significant disincentives to decrease within certain geographies. These regional red meat consumption and many more. diets have also attracted significant media Efforts to implement these types of attention, and this momentum should be measures have already faced fierce oppo- used to implement clear public policies in

126 127 GLOBAL SOLUTIONS JOURNAL ∙ ISSUE 5 BEYOND GREENWASHING: INSTRUMENTS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROTECT THE PLANET’S RESOURCES Putting climate and environmental protection at the heart of European policy

The author: The 20s are a crucial juncture for global climate protection. In this decade, we Svenja Schulze FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019: Safeguarding must set the course for climate neutral- Against Economic Slowdowns and Downturns, 2019, Rome, p.6. Federal Minister for the ity. Germany and the European Union have Ibid, p.19. Environment, Nature decided to become climate neutral by the IPCC, “Climate Change and Land: An IPCC Special Report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, Conservation and Nuclear sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems,” Summary Safety, Germany year 2050. The German government has for Policymakers, 2019, p. 7. taken important steps in this direction with IPBES, “Report of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem its Climate Protection Programme 2030 Services on the work of its seventh session,” Summary for Policymakers, 2019, p.4. Ibid, pp. 4-15 and its plan to phase out coal. The inter- FAO, IWMI, “Water pollution from agriculture: A global review,” Rome, p.3. national community will make a pledge at Eat-Lancet Commission, “Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems: Food, Planet, Health.” 2019. the next UN Climate Change Conference The institution: The New York Times, “A Guide to Sustainable Eating”; , “New plant-focused diet would ‘transform’ in Glasgow in November: in compliance planet’s future, say scientists”; Le Monde, “Un steak par semaine, des fruits et des protéines végétales: la recette du «régime de santé planétaire»”. with the Paris Agreement, all states must Derek Byerlee, Jessica Fanzo, “The SDG of zero hunger 75 years on: Turning full circle on agriculture and by then present improved national climate nutrition,” Global Food Security, June 2019, Vol. 21, pp. 52-59. protection targets. More than 100 states IPCC, op. cit. have already announced concrete plans to IPBES. op. cit. do so. FAO, op. cit. The EU, too, will play its part. With the Andrew Jacobs, “In Sweeping War on Obesity, Chile Slays Tony the Tiger,” The New York Times, February 7, 2018. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Na- "European Green Deal", the new Commis- Azam Ahmed, Nicole Perlroth, “Using Texts as Lures, Government Spyware Targets Mexican Journalists and ture Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) is Their Families,” The New York Times, June 19, 2017. responsible for a range of government policies sion President Ursula von der Leyen has Parodi, A., Leip, A., De Boer, I.J.M. et al. “The potential of future foods for sustainable and healthy diets,” Nature that are reflected in the name of the ministry presented a proposal to once again make Sustainability, 2018, vol. 1, 782–789. itself. The ministry has been working over 30 Europe a role model for global climate Lăcătușu, C., Grigorescu, E., Floria, M., Onofriescu, A., et. al. “The Mediterranean Diet: From an Environment- years now to protect the public from environ- protection. Driven Food Culture to an Emerging Medical Prescription.” International Journal of Environmental Research and mental toxins and radiation and to establish an Public Health, March 15, 2019, vol. 16, no 6, p. 942. The European Green Deal is a smart, intelligent and efficient use of raw materials, Saxe, H., “The New Nordic Diet is an effective tool in environmental protection: it reduces the associated socio- resolute, comprehensive concept. The economic cost of diets.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Mayo de 2014, vol. 99, no. 5, pp. 1117–25. to advance climate action and to promote a Commission has outlined a roadmap to Zizumbo-Villarreal, D., et al. “The Archaic Diet in Mesoamerica: Incentive for Milpa Development and Species use of natural resources that conserves biodi- Domestication.” Economic Botany, vol. 66, no. 4, 2012, pp. 328–343. versity and secures habitats. guide all areas socially and ecologically:

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