Working with an international, multidisciplinary team, IUBS scientists have published an article in Science Advances: “Actions on sustainable food production and consumption for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.” The article reviews eight actions for addressing biodiversity loss in food systems – from removing incentives harmful to biodiversity to reducing food waste and promoting sustainable diets – and examines the challenges and opportunities of implementing the actions in the UK and Peru.
The article proposes targets for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s post-2020 global biodiversity framework. In combination with broader actions by diverse actors, the targets can support transformative change for sustainable food systems.
(1) Removing incentives that make food production and consumption harmful to biodiversity,
(2) Accounting for the true value and costs of production by sector,
(3) Reducing food waste and loss across supply chains,
(4) Strengthening sustainability standards and certification,
(5) Promoting the use of product lifecycle assessments,
(6) Promoting sustainable and varied diets,
(7) Mainstreaming biodiversity considerations in food systems, and
(8) Strengthening the governance of sustainable food production and consumption.
Drawing upon the UK and Peru as case studies, the authors investigate the challenges and opportunities of implementing eight actions for sustainable food production and consumption to address biodiversity loss. From this analysis, the article presents targets and indicators related to food production and consumption for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s post-2020 global biodiversity framework. These targets, in combination with broader actions by diverse agents of change, can support urgently-needed transformative change for sustainable food systems.
At the time of IUBS General Assembly in 2019, a global new agenda for biodiversity for the next decade was constructed. Details can be found here.
Back to Science for Biodiversity Forum page