As urbanization continues to surge, 80% of all food produced globally is expected to be consumed in cities by 2050. Moreover, food is currently the biggest source of consumption-based emissions in major cities (13-20%). C40’s Food Systems Network works directly with its 50+ member cities from around the world to make it easier for residents to eat food that is good for people, the planet, and prosperity by developing healthy, equitable, and accessible food systems that also reduce food loss and waste.
Through the C40 Good Cities Accelerator, 16 cities worldwide are working to deliver sustainable food policies and achieve a “Planetary Health Diet” for all by 2030, informed by the EAT- Commission on Food, Planet, Health. These cities, collectively serving over 500 million meals, are: [List of cities]. Though every city is shaped by local context, good solutions can be quickly scaled and refined to suit other cities facing similar challenges.
“We are deeply honored to stand among these amazing finalists and receive the Food Planet Prize 2024 from the Curt Bergfors Foundation. This recognition underscores our shared responsibility in addressing the climate crisis without delay. With this award, we are poised to drive transformative change and lead the way forward.” The prize will empower cities to accelerate toward delivering a planetary health diet for all within a decade. “C40 mayors are at the forefront, taking decisive action to make sustainable food choices accessible and appealing to all. As they continue to lead, national governments will follow suit, amplifying these efforts across the entire food value chain,” said [Name], Director of Food and Waste at the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
In awarding the Prize to C40 Food Systems, the Food Planet Prize jury commented: “Cities, where 70% of all food in the world is consumed today, play a pivotal role in the global transformation to healthy and sustainable food systems. C40, a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities, has a long track-record in climate action and increasingly food systems, and can provide city-led leverage towards positive tipping points that can radically shift the global trajectory towards a sustainable food future. In particular, the Food Planet Prize jury sees that C40, a locally anchored global force, can work with cities across the world, supporting them in areas of food policy, public procurement and school food programs to reduce food loss and waste, and improve governance. C40 has a unique opportunity to build synergies with other urban sustainability networks on food and provide a city-led global acceleration for our food system.”
The Food Planet Prize International jury has ten members, representing the very best of academia, business, non-profit, civil service, and practical work within food. With members located on four continents and in all parts of the food system, both theoretical and practical, the jury reflects the diversity of perspectives needed to understand and evaluate the broad range of nominations we receive. Co-chairs Johan Rockström and [Name] act as moderators, facilitating their work.
The Сurt Bergfors Food Planet Prize was established in [Date] in acknowledgement of the perils that our current food systems pose to the health of people and the planet and with the conviction that the ways we produce, distribute and consume food must be radically and urgently reformed if future generations — and the planet itself — are to survive and thrive. The Prize supports initiatives that significantly reduce the environmental impact of the way we eat. No other human activity puts more strain on our environment, and stopping eating is simply not an option. Unlike many awards, the Food Planet Prize recognizes initiatives for their potential future impact on the environment rather than past achievements.
For any additional information, please contact [Name], or +46 73 360 71 93 (Anya Gerzhan).
[Photo Caption]
SOURCE The Food Planet Prize
