COP28 Will Be First Food-Centric UN Climate Summit with Alt-Protein, Sustainable Diets on the Agenda

COP28, the upcoming UN climate summit, is set to be the first food-centric summit with a heavy focus on sustainable diets and alternative proteins. The conference will feature mostly plant-based catering, alongside food policy announcements and a Food4Climate Pavilion. This shift in focus highlights the significant impact of food systems on global greenhouse gas emissions, with animal agriculture being a major contributor to climate change.

Despite previous underreporting and lack of global climate funding for food and agriculture, COP28 aims to raise awareness among UN nations about the impact of food on the environment. The summit will also address the North-South divide in emissions, with a focus on promoting alternative protein production and reducing meat consumption in wealthier regions. Additionally, COP28 will see the unveiling of food policy announcements to help limit global temperature rises and mitigate the impact of food emissions on climate change.