sustainable
food systems

climate

Food systems are responsible for about a third of global GHG emissions. Without transforming food systems we cannot limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. We can not phase out food in the same way we can phase out fossil fuels, but food systems can be part of the solution to the climate crisis.

Nature-positive food systems will help reduce emissions and sequester carbon. Realising the potential of food systems to help mitigate climate change requires systemic approaches. Piecemeal action will not lead to change.

agriculture

The way we produce and consume food is causing significant harm to our environment. It is responsible for loss of biodiversity, land use changes, depletion of natural resources, and climate change. The damage caused may not always be immediately visible, but it is chronic and indirect. However, by transforming our food production practices, we have the greatest opportunity to reverse our negative impact on the natural world.

Promoting sustainable agriculture practices and supporting nature conservation and restoration can greatly revive biodiversity, hydrological systems, soil and water quality, and carbon sequestration. Europe has a vital role to play in transitioning towards resilient, equitable, and sustainable agri-food systems for our planet.

packaging

One of the most characteristic manifestations of the consumer society is the increase in the production of packaging waste. Reducing the volume of packaging is crucial. The materials used to make the packaging significantly determine the overall impact of the packaging on the environment. The sustainability of the materials used must be a crucial factor.

At present, the main trend is the transition to a circular economy, which closes material flows in long cycles and emphasises waste prevention, product reuse, recycling and energy conversion instead of mining and landfilling.

food waste

The EU wastes tens of millions of tonnes of food every year. Up to 40% of all food produced worldwide is never eaten. UNEP’s Food Waste Index suggests that 931 million tonnes of food is thrown away globally by consumers, retailers and the food service industry each year.

This wasted food accounts for 6% of global greenhouse emissions. At the EU level, the best estimates indicate that some 88 million tonnes of food are wasted annually, equivalent to 173 kg of food per person every year.

fishery and aquaculture

Europe imports nearly twice as much seafood as it produces. In 2019, total fishery and aquaculture production in the EU amounted to 5.1 million tonnes, while 9.5 million tonnes were imported.

Europe’s seafood consumption has environmental and social impacts worldwide. More than a third of global fish stocks are exploited beyond sustainable levels. Overfishing is a major threat to marine ecosystems – where vertebrate populations have fallen by half since 1970 – and to the millions of people who depend on them for their livelihoods and as a primary source of protein.

The growing importance of aquaculture also brings sustainability challenges at sea and on land. Production from wild-capture fisheries has remained relatively static since the late 1980s. The continuing growth in seafood consumption has been made possible by aquaculture.

sustainable diets

Europeans tend to eat more food, and in particular more animal products, than what is healthy for people or the planet. On average, EU citizens eat more than twice as much meat as recommended by health authorities.

Europeans tend to eat more food, and in particular more animal products, than what is healthy for people or the planet. On average, EU citizens eat more than twice as much meat as recommended by health authorities. What customers choose to eat has the largest impact on their footprint, as most of our food emissions come from processes on the farm or from land use change.

Studies by WWF and the European Consumer Organisation show that Europeans want to eat more sustainably but face barriers in doing so and need sustainable food choices to become easier. Most have the prejudice that sustainable options tend to be more expensive, unavailable, unappealing or unclearly labelled.

deforestation and conversion

The EU’s dependence on imported commodities comes with an oversized environmental footprint. Over the years, EU demand has driven the loss of millions of hectares of forests, savannah and grasslands, particularly in tropical areas, destroying valuable ecosystems and contributing significantly to climate change and biodiversity loss.

The EU is the second-largest importer of agricultural commodities associated with deforestation after China. Between 2005 and 2017, some 3.5 million hectares of forest were destroyed to produce agricultural commodities for the EU market – an area larger than the Netherlands. This released an estimated 1807 million tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 40% of the EU’s annual emissions