COP26 has created a path to keep global warming under 2°C but only if national net zero commitments and milestone targets are met. The UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) said this week that current climate policies around the world do not come close to achieving these goals and global temperatures are still on course to…

Ministers have stepped up efforts to tackle single-use plastic waste in England by drawing up plans to ban a fresh raft of commonly littered items. The government will consult on banning the supply of single-use plastic plates, cutlery, balloon sticks, and expanded and extruded polystyrene cups and food and beverage containers in England. DEFRA cited…

The UK government should develop a clear plan for how gene editing technology will be used ethically in future food and farming systems amid concerns over animal welfare. A report this week by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics found that although gene editing could bring real benefits to farming, there is also potential for it to be…

Some of the UK’s biggest food businesses have committed to improve their water efficiency and take action on water risk hotspots as part of a new roadmap for the sector. Developed by WRAP and supported by organisations including The Rivers Trust and WWF, the water roadmap is designed to help businesses deliver the Courtauld Commitment 2030 target…

Compassion in World Farming has provided an update on progress against the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) which has seen over 270 food companies commit to higher production standards for the meat chickens in their supply chains. It found that although a growing number of commitments across different food sectors was a “positive” step towards making…

The majority of food procurement professionals are not targeting food waste reduction as part of their climate goals after new research found most see no link between waste and carbon emissions. The study of 282 people in senior food supply chain and procurement roles was commissioned by Sodexo as part of its new Appetite for…

Use of virgin plastic among some of the world’s biggest packaging users looks to have peaked, however more work needs to be done to eliminate single-use packaging altogether amid a dearth of innovation in reusables. This was the key message from the latest progress report for the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, which found brands and retailers…

The ability of countries to meet their climate change targets is at risk from growing consumption of ultra-processed foods. A new first-of-its-kind 30-year study on the Brazilian diet published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal found increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, including sausages, margarines, sweets and soft drinks, was linked to worsened environmental impacts. The University of Sheffield Institute…

People’s intention to eat a healthy diet is often hampered by the high cost of healthier foods, new research suggests. Although 63% of those surveyed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) would like to change their diet to make it healthier, 77% could identify at least one barrier that stopped them from doing so with…

Food systems are responsible for 31% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and it’s not just agricultural production that’s the problem. In 2019, total food systems emissions were 16.5 billion metric tonnes of CO2e (16.5GtCO2e). Of those, 7.2GtCO2e (44%) were within the farm gate, while 3.5GTCO2e (21%) came from deforestation and peatland degradation. However, the remaining…