Food production and consumption offer opportunities to make major and fast emissions cuts. We seek to extensively promote environmentally friendly food alternatives and to expand the projects’ impacts on an international scale.
Up to one third of the climate emissions produced by human activities are connected to food production and consumption. The major land use required by animal husbandry and the associated consumption are particularly significant causes of emissions and loss of forests and biodiversity. Considerable climate emissions and biodiversity decline are also associated with fishing and seafood production, which destroy the marine ecosystems important for carbon sequestration and biodiversity.
However, using selected agricultural production methods can sequester major amounts of carbon in the soil in the long term while improving soil productivity. Major emissions cuts can also be achieved by changing consumer habits towards a plant-based diet that is healthier and more sustainable.
The foundation seeks to promote a wide range of changes and measures in food production and consumption. These may include research projects, regional and international supply chains, influence on consumer habits, financing and subsidy systems, and production methods that are environmentally friendly and protect biodiversity. In this focus area, the foundation’s goal is to identify internationally scalable projects, while promoting political steering methods and regulation towards climate solutions in the food sector.
General goals of the foundation in this focus area
- To help climate solutions in food production on an international scale, with a Finnish/Nordic approach.
- To produce research on international steering methods and control options in the food industry.
- To control the negative impacts of food production on the climate and biodiversity through public discussion, producer organization initiatives and public regulation.
- To influence consumer food habits in countries with significant influence over international and global development.