Today, over 50% of the world’s population lives in cities and by 2050, urban centres will increase by 80%. It is widely believed that current food systems cannot sustainably meet the growing food demands of cities. We need transformative change to nourish people sustainably, while simultaneously preserving and restoring our ecosystems. Urban residents consume the largest share of food and experience constantly growing requirements for environmentally intensive diets, all of which leads to increased competitionfor land and water resources. City dwellers face not only urbanisation, but also a nutritional transition, where increased income shifts diets towards more animal-source foods and processed foods, rich in salt, sugar and fats.

Agriculture is already in the spotlight as a major contributor to GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, water scarcity and land degradation. In fact, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions linked directly to food production ranges between 18% and 51% 2,3 , thus giving this sector the most significant impact. Food production also affects global water use and accounts for a global average4 of some 92% of our daily individual water footprint. Land is severely impacted by food
production, with the pollution of arable areas with fertilisers and antibiotics or with an excessive discharge of animal waste having the most direct effect. Currently, up to 80% of the available cropland worldwide is used for animal farming, either to grow animal feed ingredients or as pasture.

In 2015, a number of pioneer cities took part in drafting the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, which recommended
37 actions to identify food policies for the city. In the same context, this publication aims to investigate the role of cities in achieving the SDGs and to suggest healthier, more sustainable food systems, which will benefit both people and the planet.