Duncan Williamson Senior Food Policy Advisor, WWF UK · We know the benefits of a healthy diet – for us and society,\爀屮We also know that a less resource intensive diet will

Duncan Williamson Duncan Williamson –– Senior Food Senior Food  Policy Advisor, WWFPolicy Advisor, WWF‐‐UKUK

1

£20 bnObesity costs the UK £20 billion in 2011

Food is the No1 cause of no communicable ill – health and death

8 bnWe produce enough food to feed 8 bn

870,000, 2 bn, 2 bnMalnourished – under, lacking micro nutrients or over

food facts

3 December, 2012 - 4

“The solutions are to be found along the whole food value chain - from the farms, through the large companies that need to certify that their products, up to the consumer who need to think switch to a sustainable diet.”

From: Avoiding Future Famines: Strengthening the Ecological Basis of Food Security through Sustainable Food Systems - UNEP, The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Bank, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Resources Institute (WRI),

•18% Global GHG from livestock

•30% of Human induced  biodiversity loss is related to 

livestock production

•Grass reared have low carbon  and water footprint

•Uplands are excellent Carbon  sinks

•Some habitats are most suited  to livestock

Maureen Strong, Nutrition Manager, English Beef and Lamb  Executive: 

“Lean red meat is a valuable source of protein, vitamins  and minerals. Consumed in moderation, it plays an 

important part in a balanced diet, as advocated by the  government’s Eatwell plate." 

Current UK eating habitsEatwell Plate

The average person in the EU eats 80% more pork and 4 times  more chicken today  than they did in the 1961 – Protein puzzle

Sustainable shopping  basket does not have to  cost more

Food security is about more the increasing  production

Cost of high input foods will go up

LiveWell for low impact  food in Europe

Aim:  “to contribute towards the reduction of greenhouse  gas emissions from the EU food supply chain by 

demonstrating what sustainable and healthy diets could look  like for different European countries and facilitating a 

conducive policy environment for implementation.”

• Partners: WWF UK

(lead), WWF EPO and Friends of Europe• Pilot Countries: France, Spain and Sweden• Funding: €

2.078.844,50

–

50% contribution of LIFE +

(EU’s 

the financial instrument for the environment)

Project Milestones

Network of Food Stakeholders

Who:

organisations and individuals from across the fields of  environment, climate change, health and food (> 50)

Why: “To build support for LiveWell for LIFE as a tool for sustainable diets in their key sectors and contribute toward the development

of the 

public policy options and pathways for implementation”

What: 

• build knowledge in the area of sustainable diets• share expertise of the food supply chain • input into the public policy options and pathways • act as project champions and engage others

WWF’s Livewell – activities so far

December 2011 Livewell

Christmas

March 2012 WWF’s Earth Hour action

Spring 2012 Livewell extends to France, Spain & Sweden

Innocent and WWF

Spring 2011 PR launch

Autumn 2011 simple core messages

Sustainable diet: conclusions

1. The Western diet is neither

healthy nor

sustainable (GHG)2. A healthy diet is sustainable and affordable3. LiveWell

is a starting point for understanding ways of 

achieving healthy, sustainable diets4. We don’t necessarily need to produce more, just produce 

better, waste less and distribute more equitably5. We can feed the planet in a healthy, equitable manner6. We need to work together

Eat food, not too much, mostly plants