WWF NEW REPORT: Eating for net zero

The WWF released its report "Eating for Net Zero" on May 23rd.(1) This 39-page report focuses on seven key policies that governments and food businesses can adopt to facilitate a transition to healthful and sustainable diets that are accessible, affordable, and available to everyone. Implementing these policies will lead to significant improvements in human health and help the UK achieve its targets for a nature-positive and net-zero future.

"Humanity is facing a triple challenge: how to ensure food and nutrition security for all, while keeping global warming to 1.5°C and reversing nature loss. The food we eat and the input-intensive way it is produced are driving nature loss, polluting waterways, depleting soils and undermining food and nutrition security."

Providing background information, the report explains how the food system affects both health and the environment and highlights the necessity of dietary changes for the UK to meet its targets for health, climate change, and nature restoration. Throughout the report, the importance of restoring nature is emphasized, as the UK is one of the countries with the highest levels of biodiversity loss, polluted waterways, and poor soil quality.

Shifting responsibility from individuals to government and business

The report also emphasizes the need to shift the responsibility for dietary change from individuals to government and food businesses. Placing the burden solely on individuals is deemed insufficient because their food choices are heavily influenced by the food environment, which is beyond their control. The report stresses that, although individuals may be motivated, they cannot drive change fast enough on their own. Thus, it calls for government and food businesses to take responsibility and transform the food environment. Moreover, given the current cost of living crisis and food insecurity, the report highlights the importance of optimizing the availability, accessibility, affordability, and desirability of healthy and sustainable foods, making them the default option for everyone.

Healthy and sustainable dietary targets

The WWF's extensively researched "Livewell" diet serves as the reference diet for achieving health and sustainable targets. This flexitarian approach has been proven to be accessible, available, and affordable for all. As the Livewell diet is not vegetarian or vegan, it more likely to be socially accepted by the mass population. It aligns with the EAT Lancet Planetary Health Diet but has been tailored to the UK population. The diet encourages the consumption of healthful plant proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and pulses, while actively discouraging the intake of meat, high-fat, salt, and sugar foods.

Adopting the Livewell diet has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36% and biodiversity loss by 20%.

Furthermore, it has the potential to significantly improve health outcomes, potentially leading to a reduction in the current £6 billion NHS cost associated with diet-related diseases.

"The health of the planet is intimately connected with our own. We must dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and our impact on the natural world – and adopting healthy, sustainable diets will be needed to achieve this."

The 7 WWF guidelines to government and food businesses

The main report provides guidance for governments and businesses on how to implement seven key policies:

1. Maximizing the influence of national dietary guidelines:

The government can take a proactive approach by establishing local authority and business food policy guides. It can also enhance consumer-facing information on foods that have a significant impact on climate and nature, such as dairy and meat. Additionally, it recommends the revision of the 2016 guidelines to incorporate more environmental factors.

2. Public food procurement:

The government has the power to influence food procurement practices to ensure that food services within schools, hospitals, care homes, and public institutions offer healthy and sustainable food options to employees and visitors.

3. Safety nets and targeted support:

Enhancing nutrition security entails ensuring access and affordability for all individuals, particularly vulnerable groups. Targeted support is crucial in overcoming health inequalities and barriers to adopting healthy and sustainable eating patterns.

4. The food environment:

Urgently shifting an entire population towards different dietary patterns necessitates an immediate change in the current food environment. The goal is to make healthier and sustainable food options the default choice. This requires ensuring that these options are readily available, easily accessible, affordable, and appealing to consumers. Both businesses and government policies must work together to bring about this transformation in retail and all food services.

5. Transparency and accountability:

To expedite this shift, greater transparency and accountability are vital. This will facilitate improved monitoring and create a level playing field for businesses in terms of sourcing and selling practices.

6. Education and information:

Continued education and information provision are crucial to empower individuals to make informed choices. This applies not only to consumers but also to those involved in food production and dietary provision, including chefs, health professionals, and local authorities.

7. Investment in sustainable production:

Financial support will be essential for farmers and growers to transition and implement more sustainable practices.

Conclusion

In summary, this comprehensive and insightful report provides recommendations that can be applied in any country. It is a must-read for all individuals interested in driving positive change in the food system.

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