Webinar

Food system transformation models often rest on us all eating more fruit and veg and less meat and dairy. But even if consumers were persuaded to choose a more plant-based diet, our supply of fresh produce is on a knife edge.

Changing our food system could, arguably, be approached with different aims and perspectives. What happens when the aim of change is net zero though? What are the win-wins from climate adaptation and mitigation? What could this mean on a practical level for farmers?

Transforming the food system is largely an occupation pursued by middle class professionals on salaries. What will be the impact on food system transformation, if the voices of people with living experience of poverty, food insecurity and inequality, are not included in a more meaningful way? Dominic Watters digs into all of this for us in this thought provoking webinar. As a single dad living in poverty and food and fuel insecurity, Dominic’s ability to tell it like it is and connect the dots on poverty, has made him an increasingly sought after voice on these issues.

‘Business-as-usual’ is dead. The world order – economically, politically, environmentally and socially – is being turned on its head and redrawn. Why then, when thinking about transforming our food system, do we tend to assume the world will just trundle on as it has before, leaving the UK free to carefully redesign its domestic production, supply chains and landscapes – rather than be forced to react to the world around it, at least in part?

Our food system accounts for around a third of all global emissions – so why has it hardly been talked about at previous COPs? What on earth is going on , and will this ever change?

As global warming increases, young people currently in their teens, 20s, 30s, early 40s will be the ones to bear the brunt of climatic changes, plus the responsibility of transitioning the agri-food system towards net zero by 2050. For those who are farmers, land managers and food producers, what challenges will they face?

Our food system has been through many revolutions before, but we need one now to tackle climate change and create positive change for nature and our health. Largely we know what needs to change and that government will need to take the lead – so what’s holding things up and how can this change?

What really is the potential to use the UK’s farmland to sequester carbon? As a farmer, what are the challenges and opportunities of selling carbon? What’s the experience of those who’ve done it? All of this will be discussed by out two speakers – Emily Norton and Jake Freestone.

Tree-planting is a key part of the UK government’s plan to reach net zero by 2050, with a commitment to plant 30,000ha of new woodland every year. But where will all these trees go, and how can we ensure food production is maintained?

We need to eat differently – for the planet and our own health too. But what determines our food choices, and what are the lessons for policy makers, health, education, food companies, retail, and the wider food system?