It’s time to fix our food system

In the UK and around the world, how we produce our food is unnecessarily destroying habitats, accelerating climate change and decimating species. In fact, globally, agriculture and land use are responsible for almost 60% of biodiversity loss and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions – making it one of the biggest threats to our environment.  

While it’s a complex problem, there is hope if we act now. The way our food is produced and consumed doesn’t have to destroy nature and habitats for wildlife. We can reduce carbon emissions, cut food loss and waste, and restore nature, while at the same time supporting farmers and producers locally and abroad to grow enough food for us all. Our food system can provide sustainable, healthy and affordable food for everyone. For example, find out about regenerative agriculture - a sustainable farming practice that works with nature. 

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – and the way we produce and consume food is putting further pressure on our local species and habitats. Our soils are increasingly degraded, our rivers polluted and our ocean overexploited. This is in large part due to supporting an industrialised food system that has lost its connection with the natural processes that once sustained it. This is also driving the destruction of habitats globally and pushing our climate ever closer to catastrophic tipping points. 

The future of our natural world as we know it depends on limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C and all sectors, from heating to transport, must accelerate action to keep this goal within reach. Agriculture and land use are no exception, as they account for 12% of the UK’s total emissions. The way we farm and use our land is particularly crucial because as well as reducing emissions, we also need to restore nature and keep producing healthy and nutritious food.