Calendar

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Save The Children estimate that almost a third of parents on low incomes in the UK have had to cut back on food for themselves or their children. Our food systems, globally, add an estimated 25% of greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing significantly to the climate emergency (Carbon Brief 2020). And around the world millions of people, whether underfed or overfed, are unarguably mal-nourished.

What can we do differently to alleviate hunger and improve healthy eating within planetary boundaries? How do we achieve sustainable nourishment globally, in Scotland, and in our own homes? What will it take to have thriving people on a thriving planet?

And finally, what changes can we make individually to alter the production and consumption of food? Is veganism, vegetarianism or even flexitarianism a choice for you to eat more sustainably?

Find out from these leaders at our next Women in Sustainability Network Glasgow event.

The Future of Food: sustainable solutions to feed ten billion people by 2050. 

What does the Future of Food really look like? Synthetic meats? Bizarre protein sources or mass food production on a scale never seen before? How can we tackle the world’s climate emergency and help people eat healthy, nutritious diets at the same time?

Presented by Clean Growth UK, this virtual event on 25 February 2021 will bring together industry leaders, entrepreneurs and academics to share their insights into the future of food production.

Join the Food Foundation to hear about the findings from a new report on household food insecurity during Covid-19.

Throughout the pandemic, the Food Foundation has been tracking food insecurity at a household level. This January, we have completed the seventh round of nationally representative surveys since March last year.

During the webinar, they will inform on the very latest survey findings while drawing out key trends in our data over the course of the pandemic, particularly:

• food insecurity levels among the general population and households with children
• drivers of food insecurity and how these have changed during the pandemic
• inequalities in food insecurity and key vulnerable groups including people with disabilities and food sector workers
• the impact of Covid-19 on children and families
• recommendations for recovery

Speakers will include

• Anna Taylor, Food Foundation
• Dr Maria Bryant, Department of Health Sciences and the Hull York Medical School, University of York
• Paul Gerrard, Campaigns & Public Affairs Director, The Co-op
• Fazilet Hadi, Head of Policy, Disability Rights UK
• Lindsay Graham, Poverty and Inequality Commissioner

Sign up online. For anyone unable to attend, the webinar will be recorded and made available on the Food Foundation’s website following the event.

European cities have taken the lead in building resilient local food systems. Their engagement is not only about forward-looking commitments but is already a day-to-day reality that is beneficial to the climate, the environment and people’s health.

Cities are already turning concepts such as food democracy and food sovereignty into practice, and this experience should inspire national governments ahead of international climate negotiations at COP26 in November 2021.

This event will include a presentation by Sofie Quist from Nouirsh and Chantal Clement from IPES-Food looking at the progress of Glasgow Declaration and making cities’ voices count at COP 26.

Join us at this event, and on the journey into the future of local sustainable food that is already happening!

The City of Edinburgh Council has set an ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Food is an important part of achieving this target. By bringing together Edinburgh’s food businesses and providers, this event will focus on the ways in which we can work together to make Edinburgh a truly sustainable food city.

This hustings, arranged by the Scottish Food Coalition, is an opportunity to put your points and questions about the food system to political party representatives ahead of the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary elections.

It has never been a more important time to talk about food policy. The pandemic has emphasised the importance of building resilience within our food system.

Spokespersons from the Scottish Conservative Party, Scottish Green Party, Scottish Labour Party, Scottish Liberal Democrat Party and the Scottish National Party will outline their plans and their party’s policies for addressing the challenges facing Scotland’s food system.

The hustings will cover four key themes related to our food system:

• Jobs
• Health
• Poverty
• Climate & Nature

The hustings will be chaired by Brian Taylor, former Political Editor of BBC Scotland.

Food for Life Scotland is hosting Scottish local authority decision makers and influencers for a webinar with international and local speakers offering inspiring insight on public food.

Public food is not merely calories on a plate, but a powerful tool for social, environmental and economic change. As Scotland plans for a green recovery, food provides huge potential for positive change. Public procurement of sustainable and local food is one of the most effective mechanisms at our disposal to drive transformation in food production and supply, and to prioritise the wider community wealth building agenda.

With special guest speakers:

• Joshna Maharaj 
  Chef, activist and author of Take Back the Tray 
  Toronto, Canada
• Betina Bergmann Madsen 
  Chief Procurement Officer, City of Copenhagen and public procurement specialist
  Copenhagen, Denmark
• Dr Audrey Sutton 
  Executive Director of Communities and Education, North Ayrshire Council
  North Ayrshire, Scotland