Nourish Scotland and partners have launched Recipes for Resilience, the food and climate zone at COP26.
- Recipes for Resilience will run from 1-12 November in Glasgow, with a dynamic programme of hybrid and in person events to highlight the importance of food systems in the climate change conversation.
- The twenty eight partners are working together with Nourish to put food firmly on the agenda at COP26, collaborating on Recipes for Resilience after the COP26 programme roundly neglected to include food systems in its agenda.
- Being one the biggest global emitters, food systems must be part of the climate conversation, accounting for one third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Commenting on the opening day of COP26, Pete Ritchie, Director of Nourish Scotland warns that the omission of food systems from global climate discussions risks successfully meeting the UNFCCC target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
The programme of events will showcase the variety of actors in Scotland and around the world working to transform their food system with coherent and integrated approaches. It will feature films, panels, and hands-on events sharing indigenous stories, recipes from around the world, and dialogue on all aspects of food on land and sea.
Pete Ritchie, Director, Nourish Scotland said, “COP26 is a ripe opportunity to showcase a better food future – one that nourishes us all and restores our planet.
“But current industrialised food systems are based around extraction and production, giving rise to the climate and nature emergencies, crippling food insecurity, undernutrition and health challenges from poor diets, and extreme socio-economic inequalities and labour exploitation.
“Because put simply, our global approach to food will determine whether or not we meet the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. While the formal programme avoids the issue, Recipes for Resilience will act as the stand-in Food Pavilion.
“We invite you all to join us throughout COP to explore the recipes for a resilient food system.”
Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank said, “It’s no longer acceptable for the U.N. Climate Change Conference, COP26, to ignore the role of food and agriculture in both contributing to and solving the climate crisis. This is our chance to connect the dots between our food systems, our health, and the future of the planet.
“If we work to ensure that our food production and consumption practices are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable, then it will help fix the multiple crises facing the world, including food and nutrition insecurity, loss of biodiversity, and, of course, the climate emergency. The urgency is enormous but so is the opportunity for making real progress.”
Samwel Muhunyu, Director of NECOFA Kenya said, “COP26 offers us opportunities to reflect and correct our contributions to the numerous injustices condemning many people and future generations the world over to suffering, depreciation, uncertainty. We have a chance to make practical and realistic destinations for the benefit of us all.”
Simon Billing, Executive Director at Eating Better said: “We need to put food front and centre of plans to tackle the nature and climate emergency, but despite being the one thing that unites the world, food doesn’t feature on the main stage at COP. This is a missed opportunity, which is why we’re supporting Recipes for Resilience.
“Our food system is broken – the way we produce and consume is driving climate change, deforestation and nature loss. Intensive livestock production is a huge emitter of greenhouse gases and a reservoir of potentially dangerous pathogens, risking public health.
“The good news is that we know what we need to do to fix our food system: support sustainable farming practices and promote healthy diets that are accessible for all, while benefiting the environment. But we need global governments to acknowledge this and to act.”
Ailsa McLellan, Coordinator of Our Seas coalition, said “Prawn trawling and scallop dredging pull heavy metal fishing gear over the seabed which causes terrible damage to carbon sinks and biodiversity, yet these fishing methods have access to over 95% of Scotland’s inshore waters.
“We have other less impactful ways of fishing such as creeling and diving which can take place alongside environmental recovery if managed properly.
“Our Seas coalition wants to see an urgent transition towards low impact fishing methods in our inshore waters, for the benefit of people and planet. Out of sight must not mean out of mind.”
Anna Taylor, Executive Director, the Food Foundation said, “We are very pleased to be part of the ‘Recipes for Resilience’ zone and partnering with so many organisations to promote the importance of putting transformation of our food system at the centre of the debate around climate change.
“Our Youth Leaders are young campaigners from all around the world who are calling on Global leaders to act now to ensure our food systems will provide healthy and sustainable diets for everyone.”
ENDS
Note to editors:
Recipes for Resilience programme of events
List of Recipes for Resilience partners:
- Aleph Farms
- Cows in a net zero world
- Eating Better
- FAIRR
- Fare Share
- Feedback Global
- Food Farming and Countryside Commission
- Food Foundation
- Food Hero Scot
- Food Tank
- Fork to Farm
- Humane Society International
- Landworkers Alliance
- Nature Friendly Farming Network
- Network for Ecological Farming in Kenya
- Open Seas
- Our Seas
- Nourish Scotland
- Public Sector Catering
- Rikolto and RUAF
- Scotland The Bread
- Soil Association
- Sustain
- Sustainable Food Trust
- Think Corporation
- Vegan Society
- WWF
- Youngo and Food@COP