What we eat matters. For our health, for our planet and for our economy.
The world’s food system accounts for roughly a third of global emissions. It’s also responsible for around 30% of global energy consumption.R educing the emissions intensity of food and food supply chains is critical to achieving our goal of a net zero world by 2050.
In the weeks leading up to Climate Week NYC, we’re focusing on one of the ten themes that capture all the discussions, events and activations that make Climate Week NYC the biggest climate event of its kind. With four weeks to go, this week we’re turning our attention to ‘Food’ and the future protein economy.
We spoke with experts who shared their key insights on how shifting public food preference towards plant-forward diets and a more diverse protein consumption can speed up a lower-carbon future. Also, they shed a light on the role can governments, businesses and civil society can play in this transition. Here are four key benefits of plant-forward food.
The plant-based food sector will be worth nearly $700 billon by 2050 and alternative proteins could support 83 million jobs, globally, by that time.
In Germany alone, protein diversification could benefit the economy by up to €65 billion and generate 250,000 jobs by 2045. In Singapore, the alternative proteins market is expected to grow by 17.87% annually from 2025 to 2032.
It’s clear that plant-forward diets will bring huge economic benefits. As research highlights, a shift toward plant-forward diets will not only create millions of jobs but is essential for limiting carbon emissions in the food system .
Hear from Shayna Fertig, from The Good Food Institute, on how Reimagining protein is helping strengthen and diversify global supply chains, conserve land and water resources, reduce emissions and build thriving bio economies.
Animal-based products use up about 80% of agricultural land and emit twice as much greenhouse gas compared to plant-based foods. Yet meat, dairy, and farmed fish only provide 17% of the world’s calories, and 38% of our protein.
At the same time, only 5% of US adults and children get enough fibres – which are at the heart of plant-based diets. Eating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
Our current food system is saturated with highly processed, meat-heavy food options - and it’s driving up greenhouse gas emissions and harming public health. A shift toward plant-based or plant-forward diets will help close the fibre gap, improve health outcomes, and dramatically reduce emissions.
Jasmijn de Boo, CEO at ProVeg international, highlights just how important what we eat is for the planet and our health, and how the future Jasmijn will be joining us at #ClimateWeekNYC to discuss the future protein economy.
Watch her conversation with Jeroen Gerlag.
How can consumers eat more plant-forward food if they’re relatively hard to come by?
It’s clear that shifting diets away from animal sourced foods is key to staying on track to achieve our climate goals. Yet, consumers often face limited choice when they’re walking through supermarkets and food-stores. The food industry, including policymakers, businesses and governments, have a key role to play in supporting the public to make sustainable choices.
Dr Stacey Pyett, Program Manager, Protein for Life at Wageningen University & Research, highlighted three ways in which industry, policy makers and retail can support the public in making the sustainable choice.
Change the default food option – studies have found 60% - 70% of people go for the default food option that’s presented to them, whether it’s meat or non-meat. So, by making the dealt option plant-based, we can get 70% of people to eat plant-based. Which is impactful and relatively easy to achieve.
Invite people to choose based on their own values around sustainability, animal welfare, the climate, or health, without shame or blame.
Shifting to plant-rich food is one of most impactful climate solutions. In fact, every dollar invested in plant-forward diets delivers five times more climate impact than renewables and four times more than electric vehicles.
But the benefits go far beyond emissions.
Lisa Sweet, Director, Private Sector Engagement at Tilt Collective, outlined how these investments also protect nature, improve public health, and reduce inequality –addressing multiple global challenges with a single, scalable solution.
By 2050, the shift to plant-rich food systems can unlock $3.4 trillion every single year in productivity gains. Healthier people are simply more productive: at work, at home, in life.
We’re proud to have Tilt Collective as our Food Program Partner this year. They’ll be bringing a week of food focused events to the heart of New York City.
By providing new research to show just how powerful the impact of investing in sustainable and healthy food systems can be, Tilt Collective are playing a catalytic role in the food and climate space: helping to derisk and bring in the additional funding needed for change.
Food will be at the center of conversations during Climate Week NYC, asking bold and important questions such as
Explore the full agenda for The Hub Live, including our Food programming.