UN Climate Conferences 2021: Research Urges World to shift to Plant-based Diets
International think tank Chatham House has released a report “Food System Impacts on Biodiversity Loss” ahead of the UN climate Conference. This report is supported by both the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Compassion in World Farming.
The paper explores the role global food production is accelerating biodiversity loss, destroying animals natural habitats, and contributing to total species extinction.
Identifying years of “cheaper food paradigm” where the only goal has been to produce large amount of food at the lower possible cost. This intensive agricultural is extensively damaging to soil health and productivity so relies on the use of fertilizer, pesticides, and water.
There solution to change this devastating effect on our planet is to encourage more plant-based diets.
They have three ‘levers’ for creating a more sustainable way to produce food and reducing pressures on land.
Firstly, global dietary patterns need to converge around diets based more on plants, owing to the disproportionate impact of animal farming on biodiversity, land use and the environment. Such a shift would also benefit the dietary health of populations around the world, and help reduce the risk of pandemics. Global food waste must be reduced significantly. Together, these measures would reduce pressure on resources including land, through reducing demand.
They other suggestion is moving from monoculture to polyculture farming practices.
Helping the planet, protecting species by implementing more nature-friendly farming methods, feed more people, benefit dietary health, and help reduce the risk of pandemics!
2021 will see the first world UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) because of the need for change in the way our food is produced to improve “nutrition security”, protect public health and think about the future and environmental sustainability.