Achieving a planetary health diet for all
Our diets are not just hurting our health but also the ecosystem that supports human life. Food is among the largest drivers of global environmental change contributing to climate change, biodiversity loss, freshwater use, interference with the global nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, and land-system change. Research shows that, without substantial changes, greenhouse gas emissions from the food sector will increase by 38% by 2050. The world is in a climate crisis, causing droughts, floods, and desertification, reducing our ability to feed everyone on the planet.
In 2017, emissions associated with food consumption in C40 cities accounted for an estimated 13% of cities’ total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with consumption of animal-sourced food representing roughly 75% of those food emissions. Most of the world’s food is consumed in cities (80% of all food is expected to be consumed there by 2050).
Cities committing to this accelerator will work with residents to achieve a ‘Planetary Health Diet’ for all by 2030, with balanced and nutritious food, reflective of the culture, geography, and demography of their residents.
Cities will achieve this by implementing the following measures by 2030:
- Aligning our food procurement to the Planetary Health Diet, ideally sourced from organic agriculture.
- Supporting an overall increase of healthy plant-based food consumption in our cities by shifting away from unsustainable, unhealthy diets.
- Reducing food loss and waste by 50% from a 2015 baseline.
- Within two years of endorsing this accelerator, working with residents, businesses, public institutions and other organizations to develop a joint strategy for implementing these measures and achieving these goals inclusively and equitably, and incorporating this strategy into our Climate Action Plan.
Each city will develop and share an action plan, including baseline figures and environmental, health, social, and economic co-benefits where available, upon which they will regularly report.
Signatory cities:
Barcelona, Copenhagen, Guadalajara, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Milan, Montréal, New York City, Oslo, Paris, Quezon City, Seoul, Stockholm, Tokyo, Toronto
For new signatories, download the planned actions template here and submit to action@c40.org for review.
