Picture this: Around the globe, one out of every ten people faces the gnawing threat of hunger, while a staggering two billion struggle with being overweight or obese. To make matters worse, about a third of all food we produce ends up wasted, and farming accounts for roughly a third of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. It's a crisis that demands urgent change, and Cornell researchers are stepping up with groundbreaking insights. But here's where it gets truly compelling – transforming our food systems to prioritize health, sustainability, and fairness isn't just possible; it's essential for both people and our planet. That's the powerful message at the heart of a special edition of The Lancet Planetary Health, released on November 3rd. This issue was expertly coordinated by five experts from Cornell's Food Systems and Global Change group, with Mario Herrero – a professor of global development at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a Cornell Atkinson Scholar – taking the lead.
Herrero emphasizes the significance of this special issue in advancing our understanding of food system reform. 'It's a major step forward in the conversation about reshaping food for humanity and the environment,' he explains. 'What it really highlights is the need for layered strategies that work together to strengthen ties between safeguarding the planet, boosting human wellbeing, and creating equitable food networks.'
The special issue builds on the efforts of the EAT-Lancet Commission, a diverse team of international specialists from over 35 nations spanning six continents. They published their second report on October 3rd, focusing on sustainable practices that could slash food-related emissions in half. While crafting that document, the Cornell Food Systems and Global Change team uncovered a wealth of extra knowledge that deserved its own spotlight, according to Daniel Mason-D’Croz, a senior research associate in the Department of Global Development at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. This led them to develop the special issue as a natural extension.
Our planet's vital limits – what scientists call planetary boundaries – are already stretched thin due to climate shifts, intense land use, and dwindling biodiversity. Food systems are right at the crossroads of these issues, as Mason-D’Croz points out. 'Think of the food system like a water balloon,' he illustrates. 'Press down on one spot, and pressure builds elsewhere. This makes changing food systems so tricky because we're aiming to cut emissions, lessen land and water demands, ensure nutritious meals are affordable, and guarantee fair pay for farmers. That's why tackling these problems separately won't cut it – we need comprehensive, overlapping solutions that address everything as a whole.'
And this is the part most people miss: Those bundled solutions aren't just theoretical; they have real-world implications. For instance, adopting diets that follow the EAT-Lancet guidelines – rich in fresh produce and lighter on animal products – can deliver benefits for health and the environment alike. Yet, ramping up intake of fruits and veggies might increase food spoilage and waste, since these items spoil faster than processed alternatives. Marina Sundiang, a postdoctoral associate in the Food Systems and Global Change group who authored one of the issue's papers, explains this counterintuitive effect. To counteract it, she suggests integrated steps like reducing waste through smarter storage and better processed healthy options. Consumers could buy smaller quantities more often, communities might expand composting access, and governments should fund research for improved preservation techniques and sustainable farming methods.
Throughout the special issue, experts explore actionable ideas for everyone involved in food systems – from growers and eaters to policymakers. For consumers, the advice centers on embracing a balanced diet with moderate animal-based foods and plenty of plant-based options like fruits and vegetables. Producers can boost efficiency and promote nutrient recycling, such as through precise fertilizer use, to create a more circular supply chain. Governments, meanwhile, should commit to ongoing investments in science and innovation, developing new crop varieties and techniques that nourish more people using fewer resources.
Other contributors include Thais Diniz Oliveira, formerly a postdoctoral associate with the group and now a sustainable development expert at the United Nations Development Programme, and Matthew Gibson, a postdoctoral associate in the Food Systems and Global Change team. Gibson, whose PhD in environmental policy began just after the first EAT-Lancet report in 2019, shares how that initial publication shifted his perspective on the links between social and ecological worlds. He hopes this latest work will inspire similar awakenings. 'I dream that this special issue will spark fresh partnerships in food research and policy,' Gibson says. 'By uniting dozens of cutting-edge models and hundreds of global researchers, we've made progress, but countless questions remain. Chief among them: How can we revamp these systems quickly and extensively enough? There's immense work ahead, and time is slipping away.'
Collaborators from beyond Cornell bring valuable perspectives, including teams from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, University College London, Purdue University in Indiana, and the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, D.C.
Funding for this research came from the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the CGIAR Foresight Initiative, and supporters of the various modeling teams involved.
This piece was crafted by Krisy Gashler, a writer for the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability.
But here's where it gets controversial: Is it fair to ask consumers to overhaul their diets while producers grapple with profitability, or should governments shoulder more blame for not enforcing stricter regulations? And this is the part most people miss – what if focusing on 'healthy' diets inadvertently widens inequalities in food access for low-income communities? These are tough questions that challenge our assumptions about food justice. What are your thoughts? Do you believe multi-pronged approaches are the answer, or is a radical overhaul needed? Can we truly achieve sustainability without sacrificing cultural food traditions? We'd love to hear your take – agree or disagree – in the comments below!
