Copenhagen: 14 global cities on Thursday committed to adopting sustainable policies to combat the crisis. The declaration was made at the ongoing C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen. The ‘C40 Good Food Cities Declaration’ was signed by Barcelona, Copenhagen, Guadalajara, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Milan, Oslo, Paris, Quezon City, Seoul, Stockholm, Tokyo and Toronto. Under the declaration, the cities have pledged to reduce food loss and waste by 50% from 2015 figures and support an increase of healthy plant-based food consumption. The cities will work with citizens, public institutions and other organizations to achieve a ‘Planetary Health Diet’ for all by 2030, with balanced and nutritious food, reflective of the culture, geography, and demography of their citizens. The mayors of these cities are expected to introduce policies that make healthy, delicious and low-carbon food affordable and accessible for all. The 14 signatory cities serve 500 million meals per year — in schools, hospitals, and other public buildings. “The C40 Good Food Cities Declaration will directly benefit millions of people and provide a clear signal to the market that there is great demand for healthy, delicious and sustainable food,” a press release stated. According to researches, the global food system is a major driver of harmful greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for around a quarter of all emissions which are driving the global climate emergency. A research by C40 revealed that emissions from the food sector are set to increase by nearly 40% by 2050. Taking serious cognisance of this, the mayors have committed to change the way food is produced and consumed. “As we face climate crisis, rethinking our approach on food is crucial for a long-term and perennial ecological transition,” said Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris. Stating that climate emergency is more urgent than ever, mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala said, “We must look at how we can bring about a positive change in every sector, and food is one of the most important cultural and economic assets of urban communities. By signing this declaration, we commit to work together with urgency and use our procurement powers to change the urban food environment.” To celebrate the commitment of the C40 Good Food Cities Declaration, local chefs and global C40 mayors will cook up fun, delicious and inexpensive plant-based meals on Friday while talking about how chefs and cities are responding to the challenge of transforming urban food systems. The event is open to the public and will take place at 7pm 00 at the Regnbuepladsen, next to Copenhagen City Hall.
Fourteen global cities have committed to sustainable food policies in a bid to tackle climate change. Photograph: The cities are aiming to reduce food waste levels by half from what they were in 2015. Officials are expected to introduce policies enabling citizens to access a healthy, low-carbon diet. The 14 cities serve, via their public institutions, more than 500 million meals per year.