Media release – Food Frontier, 16 November 2023
2023: The year the world connected food systems with climate change
In 2023, governments started prioritising food system changes as a key strategy in addressing climate change.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), food systems account for one third of greenhouse gas emissions. About 14.5% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are from livestock, 44% of livestock emissions are in the form of methane.
Executive Director of alternative proteins think tank Food Frontier, Dr Simon Eassom, said addressing animal agriculture needs to be part of climate solutions. He said, “2023 has seen real steps in this direction with some countries acting on the connection between what we eat and climate change.
“South Korea, Denmark, Germany, and Canada have all introduced programs to encourage plant-based meats. A German state has introduced incentives to farmers to encourage them to reduce pig herds or quit pig farming altogether and two Dutch municipalities have restricted meat and dairy advertising in public spaces. These actions are driven by concerns about the impact animal agriculture has on the environment and climate change.”
This growing awareness and commitment to sustainable practices finds resonance on a global stage as evidenced by COP28, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, starting November 30, where two-thirds of the menu will be vegetarian or vegan—a landmark move reflecting the increasing recognition of the interconnectedness between food choices and climate change.
The conference is also dedicating sessions to sustainable food technology solutions which will include alternative proteins.
And more than 80 organisations and individuals worldwide, including IKEA and Unilever, have signed an open letter to COP28 organisers emphasising the need to integrate a food systems approach into the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at COP28.
Dr Eassom said, “Looking forward to 2024, it’s vital for Australia to step up and drive change as well. Our current systems of generating protein are not sustainable, given the emissions that are generated by animal agriculture. As the demand for meat increases along with population growth, we cannot allow emissions to increase along the same trajectory. The animal agriculture sector is doing what it can, but it will not be enough to have the impact required to slow the rate of global warming. We need to see tangible support from government and industry for alternative proteins with strong backing for manufacturers.
Individuals also have a significant role to play. According to a recent Yougov survey two in five Australians are reducing their intake of conventional meat.
“Reducing our reliance on conventional meat for even a couple of meals a week makes a significant difference to the environment. However,” Dr Eassom argues, “we are at an inflection point where this needs to move beyond the push for consumer acceptance and an internal food industry battle between competing manufacturing sectors and recognise that the way forward involves collaboration and support that, with collective responsibility and accountability, can push governments to do more and act faster.”
