[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/7121\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA climate-friendly diet means rethinking the entire food system - researchers\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe standard diet for much of the world \u2013 industrially produced calories and plenty of meat and dairy \u2013 is already known to be bad for people\u2019s health, but it could also spell disaster for the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERelying on individuals to spontaneously change the way they eat, however, is unlikely to make a dent, without transformational change in the food systems that determine what goes on our plates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018People won\u2019t magically change their diets,\u2019 said Dr Marco Springmann, a senior researcher on environmental sustainability and public health at the University of Oxford\u2019s Future of Food programme in the UK. \u2018It requires a great food transformation.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERearing and farming livestock is responsible for \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fao.org\/news\/story\/en\/item\/197623\/icode\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E14% of all greenhouse gas emissions\u003C\/a\u003E from human activity. Globally, livestock release the equivalent of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fao.org\/news\/story\/en\/item\/197623\/icode\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E7.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere\u003C\/a\u003E as they digest their food. In all, the global food system produces up to\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ipcc.ch\/report\/srccl\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E 37% of total man-made emissions\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Without dietary changes we can\u2019t stay within 2 degrees,\u2019 said Dr Springmann. He was referring to the Paris Climate agreement target of keeping global warming to well below 2\u00b0C above pre-industrial levels. The Earth has already warmed 1\u00b0C.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr Springmann worked with a team of scientists who developed a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eatforum.org\/content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/EAT-Lancet_Commission_Summary_Report.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u2018planetary health diet\u2019\u003C\/a\u003E, which they claim could feed the expected world population of 9.7 billion in 2050 enough nutritious calories without destroying the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many in developing countries it would mean eating more. For those eating a Western diet, it means eating less meat and dairy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe bulk of the diet comprises grains, nuts, beans and other plant proteins, together with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Just 12% of calories comes from animal produce.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@alignleft@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022To eat in an environmentally friendly way, people should adopt a \u0027flexitarian\u0027 diet, based mostly on plants with a modest amount of fish, meat and dairy. Image credit - EAT Foundation\u0022 height=\u00223459\u0022 src=\u0022\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/IMCEUpload\/planetary_health_plate_0.jpg\u0022 title=\u0022To eat in an environmentally friendly way, people should adopt a \u0027flexitarian\u0027 diet, based mostly on plants with a modest amount of fish, meat and dairy. Image credit - EAT Foundation\u0022 width=\u00223886\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003ETo eat in an environmentally friendly way, people should adopt a \u0027flexitarian\u0027 diet, based mostly on plants with a modest amount of fish, meat and dairy. Image credit - EAT Foundation\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFood systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut changing the diets of billions of people for the good of the planet \u2013 and their health \u2013 will require dramatic changes to the current food systems we rely upon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFood systems encompass everything that happens to food \u2013 from production of animal feed and fertilisers, to farm practices, transport, storage and refrigeration, processing, packaging, sale, and eventually its disposal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost are designed to deliver large quantities of calories as cheaply as possible, but the price of food does not factor in the subsequent cost to the environment or health services.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018At the moment we don\u2019t pay for environmental degradation or health when we buy foods,\u2019 said Dr Springmann. He suggests taxing meat and dairy in similar ways to how sugar is taxed in some places already. He also suggests another approach could be updating national dietary guidelines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd farming practices must improve to reduce water pollution and soil degradation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMerete Johansson, founder and director of advocacy group \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/realfoodsystems.org\/aboutus\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EReal Food Systems\u003C\/a\u003E, also believes profound change is needed so humanity can redefine its relationship with nature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It\u2019s about nourishing the earth and respecting the laws of nature,\u2019 she said, by creating sustainable and healthy food systems. \u2018If we are to have a chance of survival in the next generation and beyond, we\u2019ve got to radically change our production and consumption patterns.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIdeal\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ideal food system would ensure everybody can afford nutritious food produced in environmentally friendly ways, while ensuring workers in the system are well paid, but would generate wealth that is shared equitably throughout the system, according Professor Corinna Hawkes, director of the Centre for Food Policy at City, University of London, UK.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We are so far off it right now,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EPeople won\u2019t magically change their diets \u2013 it requires a great food transformation\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDr Marco Springmann, University of Oxford, UK\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the reasons why changing the current food systems is difficult is because the \u2018colossal\u2019 agribusinesses hold most of the power and earn billions of dollars a year from their products, said Prof. Hawkes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut\u0026nbsp;she believes these companies can\u0026nbsp;tweak the system for the better. They could sell animal feed that causes cattle to produce less methane, for example, or sell products with less sugar in them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGovernments can also introduce policies that\u0026nbsp;incentivise companies to behave differently, although more research is needed to understand what are the most effective ways of doing this, says Prof. Hawkes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut the considerable buying power of the public sector \u2013 in schools, prisons and hospitals \u2013 can shake up the food system by ensuring every public institution serves nutritious food that has been produced ethically and sustainably.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018There\u2019s no reason why all of those cannot be achieved,\u2019 said Prof. Hawkes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is currently unclear exactly how much impact government policies such as taxing sugary drinks or using heavy regulation to reduce consumption of unhealthy foods can have.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere needs to be more research on these before they are rolled out more widely, says Jamie Morrison, head of the food systems programme at the United Nations\u2019 Food and Agriculture Organization. But he said that while governments can push through change, there are already signs that multinationals are seeking help on ways to become more sustainable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is partly driven by their customers demanding change, and partly by their own recognition that the way food is produced and consumed is not sustainable in the long term, he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The private sector gets a lot of blame,\u2019 he said, but that is where the investments and solutions will come from.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn-depth analysis of food supply chains could also help governments identify \u2018exactly where we can intervene and with what incentives\u2019 to change company behaviour, added Prof. Hawkes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat includes understanding why some products are more profitable than others, and what are the incentives for getting specific products onto the market using certain production methods.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The farmers know this; the industry knows this. But it\u2019s not out there in the public realm,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOn 26 September, Prof. Hawkes, Merete Johansson and Jamie Morrison will be participating in a session called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/digital-single-market\/events\/cf\/european-research-and-innovation-days\/item-display.cfm?id=23536\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ETransforming of Food Systems for People, Planet \u0026amp; Climate\u003C\/a\u003E at the EU\u2019s Research \u0026amp; Innovation days to help shape the scope of EU research and policy on food systems from 2021-2027.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022moreinfoblock\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3\u003EEuropean Research \u0026amp; Innovation Days\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/research-and-innovation\/events\/upcoming-events\/european-research-and-innovation-days_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EEuropean Research \u0026amp; Innovation Days\u003C\/a\u003E, which will take place in Brussels, Belgium, from 24 to 26 September, are designed to bring together policymakers, academics, industry, civil society and entrepreneurs to discuss how research and innovation can help tackle the major issues facing the EU over the next decade.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea is to seek a wide range of opinions from experts and interested parties about priorities for the first four years of the EU\u2019s upcoming \u20ac100 billion research funding programme,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/horizon-europe-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme_en\u0022\u003EHorizon Europe\u003C\/a\u003E. In addition to conference sessions, policymakers from the EU and national administrations will be available throughout the event in a space called Horizon Village to gather further input from participants.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event, which is set to be an annual affair, consists of a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/research-and-innovation\/events\/upcoming-events\/european-research-and-innovation-days\/policy-conference_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Epolicy conference\u003C\/a\u003E to shape the Horizon Europe work programme, an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/research-and-innovation\/events\/upcoming-events\/european-research-and-innovation-days\/innovative-europe-hub_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Einnovation hub\u003C\/a\u003E for innovators and investors to network, and a public exhibition called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/info\/research-and-innovation\/events\/upcoming-events\/european-research-and-innovation-days\/science-wonderful-exhibition_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EScience is Wonderful!\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-36w-ur42ijcluwrm5we-z6ewyqga12hinmvr2qlzuu\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-36w-_UR42IJClUWrM5wE-Z6EwyqGa12hInmvR2qLzuU\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]