Why COP30’s Success Depends on Comprehensive Food System Action – Earth.Org

Report on the Integration of Food Systems into National Climate Plans

Introduction: The Imperative for Food System Transformation in Climate Policy

As global climate negotiations proceed, a significant opportunity to enhance climate action lies in the comprehensive integration of food systems into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. Food systems are intrinsically linked to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The Food Systems NDC Scorecard, an initiative by a consortium of global organizations, provides a framework for assessing and improving the inclusion of food systems in these national climate strategies.

Food Systems’ Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 13: Climate Action

Current food systems are a primary driver of climate change, accounting for approximately one-third of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. This includes emissions from production, processing, transport, consumption, and waste. The scale of this impact is such that emissions from the food sector alone could prevent the achievement of the Paris Agreement’s goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C, directly undermining progress on SDG 13.

SDG 3, SDG 10, and SDG 12: Health, Equity, and Responsible Consumption

The EAT-Lancet Commission report identifies food systems as the single largest cause of transgressing planetary boundaries, harming both human and environmental health. This directly impacts SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). The report also highlights significant inequities, aligning with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), noting that the diets of the wealthiest 30% of the global population are responsible for over 70% of the environmental pressures from food systems. A transition towards sustainable consumption patterns, as outlined in SDG 12, is critical. Adopting a Planetary Health Diet, which is predominantly plant-based, could:

• Prevent an estimated 15 million avoidable deaths annually (advancing SDG 3).
• Dramatically reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions (advancing SDG 13).

Analysis of Food Systems in Current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Findings from the Food Systems NDC Scorecard

The Food Systems NDC Scorecard provides a transparent methodology to evaluate the integration of food systems into national climate plans. An initial assessment of 10 countries, including Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and Brazil, revealed significant gaps.

1. Narrow Focus on Production: All assessed NDCs consider food production, but only half include policies related to food consumption.
2. Neglect of Dietary Shifts: Few countries have embraced policies to encourage dietary shifts away from high-impact foods, despite the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognizing that demand-side mitigation potential is as significant as supply-side measures.
3. Missed Co-Benefits: The failure to include consumption-side policies represents a missed opportunity to achieve synergistic benefits for climate (SDG 13) and public health (SDG 3).

A Positive Case Study: Switzerland

Switzerland’s Agriculture and Food Climate Strategy 2050 serves as a model for integrated policy. The strategy explicitly links dietary shifts to both climate and health goals, setting a target to reduce the per capita diet-related greenhouse gas footprint by at least two-thirds by 2050 compared to 2020 levels. This approach holistically addresses SDG 3 and SDG 13.

Recommendations for COP30 and Future Policy

Utilizing the Scorecard as a Strategic Roadmap

The Food Systems NDC Scorecard is not merely an assessment tool but a strategic roadmap for policymakers. It identifies shortcomings and highlights transformative opportunities across the entire food value chain. By evaluating equity considerations and the risk of maladaptation, the tool empowers governments to develop more ambitious and holistic policies that deliver on multiple SDGs.

A Call to Action for Policymakers

To align with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, it is imperative that food systems become a central component of all national climate plans. During COP30 and in the subsequent revision of NDCs, policymakers must prioritize comprehensive food system reforms. Key actions should include:

• Embedding policies that promote healthy, sustainable, and predominantly plant-based diets to advance SDG 3 and SDG 13.
• Integrating targets for reducing food loss and waste, in line with SDG 12.3.
• Ensuring policies support equitable transitions for all stakeholders, particularly small-scale producers, to advance SDG 10.

By taking these steps, nations can unlock significant climate mitigation potential, improve public health outcomes, and promote social equity, thereby creating a foundation for a resilient, just, and sustainable future.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The entire article is framed around climate action, specifically the integration of food systems into countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. It states that food systems contribute to “one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions” and that these emissions alone could push temperatures “beyond the critical 1.5C target.”
2. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The article discusses the need for “healthy, sustainable and just food systems” and reforms in “food-production practices.” This directly relates to achieving food security and promoting sustainable agriculture, which are central to SDG 2.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article explicitly links dietary changes to health outcomes. It mentions that adopting the “Planetary Health Diet” could “prevent an estimated 15 million avoidable deaths each year” and highlights how countries like Switzerland are linking “diet shifts to climate and health goals.”
4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • A core theme is the need to change consumption patterns. The article calls for policies that “support diet change and transforming consumer behavior,” promoting “healthy, predominantly plant-based diets,” and “reducing food loss and waste.” This aligns directly with the goals of sustainable consumption and production.
5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article highlights a significant inequality, stating that “the diets of the richest 30% of the world’s population are responsible for more than 70% of the environmental pressures from food systems.” It also calls for “equitable transitions” in food system reforms, addressing the disproportionate impact of consumption patterns.
6. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article is centered on a collaborative initiative, “The Food Systems NDC Scorecard,” created by a partnership of multiple organizations (Mercy For Animals, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, etc.). It serves as a tool to empower governments and advocates, demonstrating a multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article’s main focus is on integrating “comprehensive food system reforms” into countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are the primary national climate plans under the Paris Agreement.
2. Under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger):
   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices. The article calls for evaluating “food-production practices” within climate plans and moving towards “healthy, sustainable and just food systems.”
3. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The article supports this target by stating that adopting healthier diets could “prevent an estimated 15 million avoidable deaths each year.”
4. Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
   • Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The call to shift from “high-impact diets” to predominantly plant-based diets is a strategy to reduce the resource intensity of food consumption.
   • Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains. The article explicitly mentions the need for “reducing food loss and waste” as part of comprehensive food system reforms.
   • Target 12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature. The “Food Systems NDC Scorecard” is presented as a tool to provide information and a “roadmap for policy improvement” to encourage sustainable lifestyles.
5. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The scorecard initiative itself, involving multiple civil society organizations like Mercy For Animals and EAT, is a direct example of such a partnership aimed at influencing global policy.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For Target 13.2:
   • Indicator: The “Food Systems NDC Scorecard” itself is a primary indicator. It provides a “transparent methodology for assessing how well countries are integrating food systems across their NDCs.” The number or percentage of countries that include comprehensive food system policies in their updated NDCs is a measurable outcome.
2. For Target 3.4:
   • Indicator: Reduction in avoidable deaths. The article provides a potential metric: “an estimated 15 million avoidable deaths each year” could be prevented, which can be used as a benchmark to measure the health impact of dietary shifts.
3. For Target 12.2 and 12.8:
   • Indicator: Per capita greenhouse gas footprint from diet. The article provides a specific, measurable example from Switzerland’s strategy: “the diet-related greenhouse gas footprint per capita will be reduced by at least two-thirds compared to 2020.” This serves as a direct indicator of progress in sustainable consumption.
   • Indicator: Percentage of national climate plans including food consumption policies. The article implies this indicator by stating that “only about half” of the assessed countries “include policies on food consumption.”
4. For Target 10:
   • Indicator: Share of environmental pressure from food systems by income group. The statistic that “the diets of the richest 30% of the world’s population are responsible for more than 70% of the environmental pressures from food systems” can be tracked over time as an indicator of inequality in consumption-related impacts.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: earth.org