Calls for local authorities to do more to reduce food and farming emissions

New report by food and farming charity Sustain shows that 22 London councils omit food and farming from their climate plans.

Despite the food system contributing a third of all UK greenhouse gas emissions, the majority of London councils do not include food in their climate action plans, and only 3 councils; Tower Hamlets, Ealing and Greenwich, have plans with measurable, time-bound actions for reducing emissions from the food system, according to new research from Sustain.

London’s councils have significant power to transform the food and farming system; they own one-fifth of the land in the city and spent almost £13 billion on procurement in 2019. The councils with the best plans in place were found to be increasing and protecting land for food growing and farming, adopting sustainable food procurement policies, educating citizens about healthy and sustainable diets and tackling food waste.

Significant differences were found in council policies between UK nations.

Campaign Co-ordinator for climate change and nature, Ruth Westcott adds:

Sustain is calling for targets and funding for local councils from leaders in all four UK nations, having found that national policy on food growing and food waste in Scotland and Wales translated into more action at local authority level in these nations, with English councils as a whole falling behind in these areas.

Find how your local authority performed and see the full results on the Food for the Planet website.

Interested in finding out more about food and farming? Check out our fave good food and farming podcasts. 

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