Transforming food systems for health, equity, and climate
Cities leading the shift to sustainable, equitable food consumption
Cities are uniquely positioned to transform food systems. Half of all food worldwide is consumed in cities, and this could rise to 80% by 2050[1]. Mayors can use their influence over food procurement, policy, communications, and waste management to drive a transition towards healthier, more sustainable, and equitable food systems.
The urgency is clear: food systems are a major driver of the climate crisis. They’re responsible for about one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions[2] and contribute significantly to biodiversity loss. At the same time, hunger and food insecurity are rising. In 2023, over 733 million people faced chronic hunger, and more than 2.3 billion experienced moderate or severe food insecurity.[3] Cities can address both crises simultaneously. C40 supports cities to deliver food policies and programmes that reduce environmental impacts, improve health outcomes, increase access to healthy and sustainable food, address food security, and create good green jobs across the food supply chain. By transforming urban food systems, cities are demonstrating how climate action can also improve well-being for all residents.
Advancing food systems that serve health, equity, and sustainability
Cities understand that effective food system transformation requires solutions that address interconnected challenges. Successful strategies must:
Ensure equitable access to healthy food
Cities must focus on policies that make healthy, sustainable food accessible and affordable for everyone. Cities can align procurement for school meal programmes, healthcare centre menus, and other municipal services with the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet (a way of eating that meets nutritional needs while staying within environmental limits). This ensures access and supports local producers while reducing the environmental impacts of city purchases. If implemented on a global scale, the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet model could feed 9.6 billion people sustainably until 2050 while preventing up to 15 million deaths annually.
Reduce environmental impacts across the food system
Cities can collaborate with residents, businesses, other public agencies, and civil society to create policies and programmes that cut emissions and reduce the environmental impacts of food consumed citywide. These policies and programmes can promote and expand access to healthier, more sustainable food, and support sustainable production in urban and peri-urban areas. They also minimise food loss and waste, and strengthen local and regional food supply chains.
Address food waste at scale
One-third of all food produced is wasted[6]. Cities have a significant opportunity to reduce methane emissions and improve food security. They can achieve this by:
- introducing programmes to reduce food waste across the value chain
- promoting source separation and treatment systems for organic waste
- delivering programmes that recover and redirect surplus food to people rather than landfills
Support local and regional food economies
Food systems transformation creates opportunities for good, green jobs across the food supply chain, from production to food processing to retail. Cities can strengthen connections between producers and consumers while supporting existing informal workers and small businesses to build resilient food economies that benefit urban and rural communities.
Cities are proving that collaboration works. By partnering with residents, businesses, public agencies and civil society, we can shift towards healthier, more sustainable food and reduce food waste.
Connect with food systems programmes and networks
C40’s food systems work provides different entry points for cities to access technical support and learn from peers. Using their unique areas of influence, cities can drive a shift towards healthier, more sustainable food systems.
C40 Good Food Cities Accelerator
Join cities committed to delivering a sustainable food system transformation by achieving the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet and halving food waste by 2030 through collaborative strategies for procurement, consumption, and food waste reduction.
C40 Thriving Food Systems Accelerator
Join cities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America committed to delivering sustainable food systems transformation by establishing universal school feeding programmes, modernising market infrastructure, partnering with neighbouring towns to support farmers and small food businesses to build local supply chains for diverse, healthy food that’s sustainably produced, and integrating food security into climate action plans.
Food Systems Network
Connect with cities implementing innovative food policies and programmes, and share approaches to improve procurement, reduce food loss and waste, and ensure equitable access to healthy and sustainable food.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do cities transform food systems to support human and planetary health?
The EAT-Lancet planetary health diet framework, adapted to cities’ local contexts, provides an equitable model for delivering healthy food for everyone while reducing environmental impacts. Cities can align their own procurement with the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet, ideally sourced from regenerative agriculture, to ensure equitable access to healthy and sustainable food. Successful initiatives include school meals and food assistance programmes. Cities can also work with businesses to offer healthier and more sustainable choices and reduce food waste.
Which cities have successfully transformed their food systems and what did they do?
Signatories to the C40 Good Food Cities Accelerator and C40 Thriving Food Systems Accelerator provide proven examples of cities driving food systems transformation. Successful approaches include:
- aligning public procurement (schools, hospitals, municipal facilities) with the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet
- implementing food waste reduction programmes
- supporting local food businesses and workers to offer healthier, more sustainable options
- co-creating policies and programmes with residents, businesses, and civil society organisations
How can cities work effectively with the private sector on sustainable food?
Cities can engage businesses to collaborate on voluntary leadership commitments, incentive programmes, and advocacy campaigns. Cities can also support small businesses through infrastructure upgrades, such as providing renewable-powered lighting and cold storage for public markets. Successful approaches involve food businesses (both formal and informal) uniting to co-create solutions that work for both commercial viability and sustainability goals. Many cities establish food policy councils that bring together government, business, and civil society representatives.
How do urban food policies connect to broader climate and health goals?
Food systems cause approximately one-third of global emissions[7], making them critical to climate action. Simultaneously, improving access to nutritious, sustainable food reduces food insecurity and improves public health outcomes. Cities can also use their policies and programmes to support local and regional economies, improving quality of life for residents across the food system. Cities that integrate food systems transformation into climate action plans can amplify the impact of coordinated benefits: emissions reductions, improved health outcomes, economic opportunity, and increased resilience.
