© Pixabay
Sustainable food systems
Our food systems are putting an impossible strain on the planet and on our health.
The impact of food systems can be felt in our daily lives. They are an essential pillar of our societies and economies, but they are also massively contributing to biodiversity loss, the depletion of natural resources and climate change. European agricultural production alone makes up an estimated 11% of the total greenhouse emissions in the EU.
Moreover, the way we produce and consume food is detrimental to our own health. With prices going through the roof and public subsidies prioritising factory farming and intensive agriculture, families are increasingly struggling to access healthy and sustainable food. Currently, poor diets lead to the deaths of 1 in 5 Europeans.
The EU has a key role to play in the transition towards resilient, equitable and sustainable agri-food systems. Currently, the European Commission is working on its proposal for an EU legislative framework for sustainable food systems that will aim to integrate sustainability into all food-related policies. This is a much-needed, long-overdue step that civil society has been demanding for decades.
Moreover, the way we produce and consume food is detrimental to our own health. With prices going through the roof and public subsidies prioritising factory farming and intensive agriculture, families are increasingly struggling to access healthy and sustainable food. Currently, poor diets lead to the deaths of 1 in 5 Europeans.
The EU has a key role to play in the transition towards resilient, equitable and sustainable agri-food systems. Currently, the European Commission is working on its proposal for an EU legislative framework for sustainable food systems that will aim to integrate sustainability into all food-related policies. This is a much-needed, long-overdue step that civil society has been demanding for decades.
"The way we produce and consume food is harming our health and degrading our environment to a level that we cannot afford. The upcoming framework law could improve the lives of millions of citizens."
Giulia Riedo
Agriculture and Sustainable Food Policy Officer
© Popp & Hackner / WWF
What WWF is doing
WWF believes that European policies can be instrumental in the transition to truly sustainable food and farming systems. Currently, our focus is on the EU's Farm to Fork Strategy, and more concretely on its flagship EU legislative framework for sustainable food systems. In addition, we continue to follow the discussions around the Common Agricultural Policy, one of the EU’s oldest, most influential, most debated, and unfortunately also most ineffective policies to date.
WWF is advocating at European and national levels with partner offices and organisations for more sustainable food systems. We want to increase political and public awareness and engagement for a systemic change in our food systems, from sustainable farming and fisheries to healthier diets, from marketing to public procurement of “good food”, from food waste to climate change mitigation.
In parallel, WWF is campaigning to change food habits among young people through its international project #Eat4Change. WWF is working with and for youth to support the shift towards more sustainable and healthy diets through awareness raising and capacity building.
WWF is advocating at European and national levels with partner offices and organisations for more sustainable food systems. We want to increase political and public awareness and engagement for a systemic change in our food systems, from sustainable farming and fisheries to healthier diets, from marketing to public procurement of “good food”, from food waste to climate change mitigation.
In parallel, WWF is campaigning to change food habits among young people through its international project #Eat4Change. WWF is working with and for youth to support the shift towards more sustainable and healthy diets through awareness raising and capacity building.
Contacts
Giulia Riedo
Sustainable Farming Policy Officer
Alejandra Morales
Senior Communications Officer,
Deforestation & Food
+32 488 84 98 05
@Alex_delrey
Hortense Le Merle
Sustainable Food Project Officer
Downloads
Letter to Commission President von der Leyen
PDF 145 KB
Valuing food: for a game-changing EU legislative framework for sustainable food systems
PDF 4.25 MB
Europe eats the world
PDF 3.07 MB
Will CAP eco-schemes be worth their name?
PDF 2.56 MB
Joint NGO letter: Less and better meat, dairy and eggs in the Farm to Fork Strategy (February 2020)
PDF 391 KB
Joint NGO letter: CSOs open letter on the Farm to Fork strategy to achieve sustainable food systems
PDF 575 KB
Joint NGO letter: The Council's negotiations on the conditionality rules in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform
PDF 183 KB
Report: Last Chance CAP
PDF 2.18 MB
LESS AND BETTER: A CALL FOR POLICY ACTION ON ANIMAL FARMING
PDF 555 KB
WWF ELO Joint Statement on CAP 19032018
PDF 154 KB
Towards a Common Agricultural Policy that works for people and nature
PDF 368 KB
Follow us