Nature-friendly diet: Policy brief outlines recommendations for global biodiversity protection

Photo: Catering buffet (Credit: iStock/_jure)

In October 2024, the international community will come together at the Convention on Biodiversity (COP 16) in Colombia to agree on further measures to protect global biodiversity. A healthy, plant-based diet is key to halting the loss of biodiversity. Measures for a biodiversity-friendly food system are therefore recommended by the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) together with authors from other sustainability organizations in a recent policy brief. For example, the authors call for the creation of political frameworks, the promotion of sustainable diet and tackling food waste. The paper is part of the project “Shaping Nature-Friendly Consumption” funded by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), in which the IÖW and the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg (ifeu) develop recommendations for the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services worldwide.

Creating framework conditions, promoting plant-based diet, combating food waste 

In the policy brief, experts provide recommendations for implementing the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at the COP 15. The authors call on governments worldwide to establish frameworks through legislation and regulation that promote nature-compatible practices throughout the entire food system, from production to consumption. Policy measures should encourage a shift to sustainable and plant-based diets, according to the paper. This includes offering more plant-based meals in public canteens and creating price incentives to make sustainable consumption choices the default option. Measures such as training kitchen staff can combat food waste in value chains and are also urgently needed, according to the policy paper. The authors also call on governments to make the links between consumption and biodiversity more visible, for example through eco-labeling.

According to estimates, a global switch to a plant-based diet could reduce land use for food production by three quarters. What we don't eat also has an impact on the carbon footprint of the food system: almost a third of the world's food is thrown away – which also wastes resources such as land and fresh water. “The necessary change towards a socially just and environmentally friendly food system will not only benefit nature, but also human health,” emphasizes Dr. Julia Fülling from the IÖW. Kira Lutz, who also contributed to the political recommendations, adds: “For this to succeed for each and every one of us, politicians must set the right framework conditions.”

Food consumption: one of the biggest causes of biodiversity loss 

Overconsumption and the increasing consumption of meat and other animal proteins are accelerating the global destruction of nature and jeopardizing the foundations of human health and well-being. Agricultural and food systems contribute to global biodiversity loss through unsustainable agricultural practices: Food systems cause 80 percent of deforestation, 70 percent of biodiversity loss on land and 50 percent in freshwater. They are also responsible for around a third of all global greenhouse gas emissions. This makes food consumption the biggest cause of biodiversity loss in many countries and regions.

In order to stop the global loss of biodiversity, the international community reached a global agreement to protect nature at the World Conference on Nature in 2022. In the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), national governments agreed, among other things, to reduce the global consumption footprint and promote sustainable food systems. Goal 16 of the GBF is to reduce the global footprint of the agricultural and food system. The aim is to promote a sustainable diet and reduce food waste. 

Background

The policy brief summarizes the findings of the Biodiversity and Consumption Working Group of the UNEP One Planet Network's Consumer Information Programme with contributions from the network's Food Systems Programme. In addition to the leadership of the BfN, organizations such as ifeu, WWF, the Hot or Cool Institute and FSC International contributed to the policy paper. It serves as supporting material for the Convention on Biodiversity (COP 16) in October 2024 in Colombia and the implementation of Target 16 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, which was adopted at COP 15 in 2022.

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• Policy Brief „Implementing GBF Target 16: Addressing biodiversity impacts of food consumption“ on the website from the BfN
• Toolkit from the One Planet Network for communication related to consumption and biodiversity (ready-to-use info materials, good practice examples and a communication guide) 
• More about the project “Shaping Nature-Friendly Consumption”