The food we eat was responsible for nearly 13 per cent of the total emissions in 2017 and this is expected to increase 38% by 2050
Fourteen global cities have pledged to promote sustainable food policies to tackle the climate crisis as well as boost the health of its citizens, according to C40 Cities — a global climate leadership group comprising 94 cities around the world.
The C40 Good Food Cities Declaration was signed by the mayors of Barcelona, Copenhagen, Guadalajara, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Milan, Oslo, Paris, Quezon City, Seoul, Stockholm, Tokyo and Toronto at the ongoing C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen on October 10, 2019.
As part of the declaration, mayors of these cities will work towards implementing a ‘planetary health diet’ for all by 2030. It will be balanced and nutritious food, based on the culture, geography, and demography of the cities.
They will also change the food procurement policies to make healthy, delicious and low-carbon food affordable and accessible for all and also reduce food loss and waste by 50 per cent.
Food accounts for the biggest sources of consumption-based emissions from cities, according to a research by C40 Cities. It caused nearly 13 per cent of the total emissions in 2017 and by 2050 this is expected to increase by 38 per cent.
On the other hand, consumption of sustainable diet and reduction in food waste can help cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60 per cent.
Besides reducing emissions, adopting a planetary health diet will also “provide a balanced, nutritional diet for 10 billion people, and save 11 million lives each year,” according to C40 Cities.
“Cities are central in shaping a virtuous circle from the farm to the table, from the seed to the plate. As we are facing a climate crisis, I am convinced rethinking our approach on food is crucial for a long-term and perennial ecological transition,” Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris and C40 Chair, in a statement.
“We’re committing to do our part to make healthy food more accessible, reduce waste, and save our planet,” added Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles and C40 Chair-Elect.
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