Policy | Pro Environment | Pro Health
Jointly-signed letter to FAO on transforming our food systems
Image source: Unsplash / Dave Hoefler
On Friday, 19 March, ProVeg International and 44 partners from civil society sent a letter to FAO’s Director General, Dr. Qu Dongyu, urging the UN agency to further explore the potential of shifting towards more plant-rich food systems in order to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
ProVeg advocates for sustainable and resilient food systems
The letter was sent ahead of the International Day of Forests (which takes place on Sunday, 21 March), in the context of the fact that 70% of deforestation is driven by the production of agricultural commodities. Mentioning the numerous UN processes on the agenda in 2021 (for example, the UN Food Systems Summit or COP26), the letter highlighted three possible actions to make the shift towards more sustainable and resilient food systems:
- Promoting more plant-rich diets (such as the planetary health diet) in UN processes in 2021, and developing healthier and less resource-intensive dietary guidelines.
- Focusing on the mitigation potential of plant-based innovations and the need for massive investment in order to mainstream these sustainable alternatives, including increased subsidies, thus guaranteeing a just transition for farmers.
- Creating a working group to explore the potential of cellular agriculture, as well as organising conferences with all relevant stakeholders so as to increase awareness of this potentially high-impact technological solution.
Read the jointly-signed letter to FAO here.
Reply from FAO
Read the reply from Chief Economist, Máximo Torero Cullen at FAO.
Landmark climate report highlights the benefits of a plant-based diet
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a landmark report on the link between climate change and land use. It is the first time in over a decade that the IPCC — an intergovernmental body of the United Nations — have addressed this crucial issue and the most comprehensive assessment on this topic to date. The concerns raised in the report highlight the huge benefits of adopting a plant-based diet.
