Transformational changes in global and European food systems are urgently needed to increase their resilience to climate change, reduce environmental footprints and improve population health around the world. Major shift in production, processing, retailing and consumption of foods towards foods that are healthier and mores sustainable would be a crucial part of fighting nutrition related disease in the global north, whilst keeping climate targets in reach. In fact, staying within a +1.5°C world will not be possible without major transformations in our food systems.
Identifying and implementing targeted policies and practices that would accelerate changes in all stages of the global food system (including food production, processing, transportation and consumption) have been featuring highly on the agendas of national and international decision-makers, researchers, producers, retailers, and other food system actorsover the past decade.
In the session speakers will highlight key policiesand practices from different angles, whichhave been driving change towards resilient and sustainable food systemsso far. They willdetail a number of key actions, innovations and projects that resulted from changesin policy and practice,and that have been pivotal in improving sustainability, healthfulness and resilience of food systemsand diets.They will also address key challenges for global food system transformations and give their viewson key actions that would overcome such challengesand would enable further acceleration of food system change in Europe and beyond.
Programme
- 9:00: Welcome and introductions
by prof. dr. Nel de Mûelenaere, Assistant Professor at the Social and Cultural Food Studies group of Vrije Universiteit Brussel & academic co-director of BrIAS
- 9:05: Key note: Sustainable and resilient food systems in Europe and beyond: opportunities and challenges - Dr JohnIngram (Oxford University)
- 9:25: Dr Ximena Schmidt (Brunel University) - Sustainable food systems & the circular economy
Mr Leonard Mizzi (European Commission) - Sustainable agri-food and aquatic systems –a must have?
Dr Franziska Gaupp (EAT Forum) - Sustainable Food Systems from Pathways to Policies
Ms Anna Taylor(The Food Foundation) - Policy mechanisms to accelerate transitions to sustainable diets
Dr Sergiy Smetana (German Institute for Food Technology) – Novel alternative foodsin sustainable diets
Mr Andrew Weston(Co-op) - Retailers in sustainable food systems: opportunities & responsibilities
- 10.10: Break
- 10.15: Panel Discussion led by BrIAS fellows:
Dr Pauline Scheelbeek (Assistant Professor in Nutritional and Environmental Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) and Dr Rathana Peou Norbert Munns (Policy Researcher at Utrecht University & Climate Foresight and Scenarios Development Expert at FAO)
- 11.00: End of the seminar