What do policy and food systems researchers have to say about using policy and scientific advice in transforming food systems? Food systems are complex systems and it can be difficult to ensure success and avoid trade-offs. However, taking a systems view is rarely enough to avoid this. In the context of uncertainty, science does not always provide clear answers. How can we move forward? In this piece, Abigail Muscat reviews some of the latest research on policy solutions and presents three key lessons for driving sustainable change. She argues we should avoid the traps of ignoring unacknowledged assumptions, ignoring multiple viewpoints and sticking to a singular framing of food systems.
What is the ‘Planetary Health Diet’?
You may have heard about the so-called ‘Planetary Health Diet.’ In January of 2019, a group of 37 leading researchers on sustainability and nutrition from 16 countries published the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems. Its objective was to answer one vital question: Can we feed a future population of 10 billion people a healthy diet within planetary boundaries? We discuss the conclusions of the report and address some misconceptions that have sprung up since its publication.
2021: A Watershed Year for Sustainability?
2021 holds great potential for systemic shifts in responses to climate change, with several major international climate conferences set to take place before the year is out. As world leaders are due to make major decisions on biodiversity, food systems and greenhouse gas emissions, these meetings are vitally important to the future of our planet. Read on for a brief overview of the upcoming events and their goals.