By shifting to more minimally processed plant-rich diets, particularly where meat and saturated-fat consumption is high or growing at levels that risk human and/or planetary health, there is potential to reduce the energy intensity of our food systems and diet-related GHG emissions by 49% while generating substantial health co-benefits. Consumer groups, the public health community, and even countries have called for action. For example, Mexico and Denmark have promoted new dietary guidelines that emphasize the need to reduce beef and dairy consumption. A comprehensive roadmap to creating systemic change across different geographies reflecting diverse cultural food preferences and issues of over-consumption and food security is required.

Toward Fossil Fuel–Free Food: Why Collaboration Between Food and Energy Systems Players Is Key, which delves into the trade-offs, synergies, gaps, and opportunities that arise within the food–energy nexus. In the Discussion Paper, you will find recommendations and near-term opportunities for enhanced coordination and collaboration among policymakers, funders, and advocates working across the food–energy nexus. The emphasis is on identifying measures to reduce fossil fuel usage in food systems.

The aim of this paper is to ignite conversations, encourage collaboration, and foster shared objectives within the food–energy nexus. We need to dramatically change the way food is produced and consumed, and get off the unsustainable path of fossil fuel dependency. Shifting to low-carbon practices such as agroecology, regenerative approaches, sustainable diets, and localized value chains will enable the decoupling of food production from GHG emissions and realize a raft of other benefits for people’s health, livelihoods, and the environment. This will require collaboration and a willingness on the part of stakeholders across sectors to cooperate.

At a time of surging fossil fuel and food prices, deepening geopolitical divisions, and an escalating climate crisis, the case for action has never been clearer.
The bottom line is that continuing business-as-usual with incremental shifts will not be enough to achieve the radical energy and food systems transitions needed to prevent catastrophic climate change and solve health and nutrition crises. Even if all governments delivered on their 2030 climate pledges (known as Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs), fossil fuel use in our food system would still exceed the 1.5°C (2.7°F) carbon budget by 2037.

Sustainable Land Use Futures: Collaboration to address competition for land 
A sustainable land use future program has been established in Australia to address climate change and sustainably transform the food and land use system. This initiative is led by Climateworks Centre, Deakin University, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, a government
agency responsible for scientific research. Recognizing that land is finite and subject to increasing competition between different uses, the program aims to transform Australia’s food and land use systems.
Through joint collaboration, the program will develop pathways to explore food and land use futures, identify strategies for transformation, support champions, and track progress and build momentum for sustainable land use.
Collaboration plays a pivotal role in this program by leveraging expertise from civil society, academic institutions, and government agencies, as well as stakeholders from the food, land, and oceans sectors to collectively support pathways toward a more sustainable future.