Climate Change

‘Countries are experiencing cascading crises’: FAO climate change chief on food systems transformation in challenging times

25-Sep-2023 By Flora Southey

From the COVID-19 pandemic to extreme weather events and war in Ukraine, ‘cascading crises’ are impacting countries across the world. Responsible agri-food practices can help mitigate the impact of these disruptions, suggests Kaveh Zahedi, director of...

How is meat consumption affecting climate change?

20-Sep-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe

A recent Oxford University study explores various diets and their impact on the environment, advocating for the reduction in animal-based food consumption.

US dairies that dumped milk due to extreme weather to be compensated

11-Sep-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Producers can claim assistance for 2020, 2021 and 2022 milk losses through a new safety-net program introduced by the USDA.

Greenwashing, greenhushing and confusion… Carbon market responds with clearer rules on offsetting

11-Aug-2023 By Oliver Morrison

What’s a ‘good’ carbon credit and how do businesses use them without fear of criticism from consumers? New guidance on carbon credits has been issued as attitudes shift among food and beverage companies towards using offsets to meet their climate targets.

IFT First

Standardizing regenerative agriculture claims requires industry collaboration

25-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Brian Nash, VP, corporate sustainability, Ingredion, spoke with FoodNavigator-USA at IFT FIRST in Chicago about how companies must work together to establish a more unified regenerative agricultural claim.

Climate change and consumers: Mintel shares how CPG brands can respond to global crisis

25-Jul-2023 By Ryan Daily

Consumers are protecting themselves and their families amid the climate crisis with functional products designed to improve skin health and hydration levels, Stephanie Mattuci, director of Mintel food and beverage and purchase intelligence, shared during...

Health, environment or lactose intolerance: Why do people drink plant-based milk?

05-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Plant-based milk is one of the most successful categories of alternative protein, predicted to reach a value of $47 Billion by 2030. But why is it so successful? The driving force behind any alternative protein’s success is the motives people have for...

Developing achievable ESG strategies "for the betterment of the planet"

01-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

FoodNavigator-USA sat down with Jillian Semaan, VP, sustainability in Ketchum’s food, agriculture and ingredient division, during the Vegan Women Summit in New York City to discuss how food and beverage brands can cultivate an authentic ESG and DEI strategy...

GAO flags ‘high risk’ priorities for USDA including climate change threats, best practices for reevaluating the Thrifty Food Plan

30-May-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

The US Department of Agriculture should help farmers and ranchers better manage climate change risks and step-up oversight of federal assistance programs, including future reevaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan, which determines benefits under the Supplemental...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Is consumer food waste giving the industry an unfair rap over emissions?

19-May-2023 By Oliver Morrison

New research suggests food wastage – much of which comes from people simply not eating what they buy – is a bigger problem than previously thought, which if cut in half would help remove around one-quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions from the global...

Tetra Pak report shows there’s a long way to go for sustainable packaging

21-Apr-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A new report from Swedish-Swiss packaging company Tetra Pak revealed high levels of consumer support for sustainable packaging. However, due to supply chain issues and high prices, many companies are nevertheless struggling to implement changes to their...

‘Sustainable agriculture practices must triple in order to prevent climate change’: Using space to help food manufacturers meet consumer expectations

17-Mar-2023 By Gill Hyslop

Some of the biggest names in the bakery and snacks industries – including Mondelez, Quinn, ADM, PepsiCo, General Mills and Wildfarmed – have signed up to promote the importance of better-for-you farming processes. But there’s so much more to be achieved.

Food giants at risk of ‘greenwashing’ over regenerative agricultural practices: report warns

31-Jan-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The lack of definition as to what constitutes regenerative agriculture can create a risk of misleading claims about their environmental credentials.

Methane-busting bolus may slash emissions from grass-fed cows almost entirely

10-Jan-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The solution, developed in New Zealand by Ruminant BioTech, could provide a ‘set and forget’ method to eliminate at least 70% of methane emissions from livestock across six months.

FMI: Climate change, transportation & trade relations will test food inflation in 2023

01-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

While economists predict inflation will ease slightly in the coming quarters, this year could easily become a “groundhog day version of 2022” if the weather takes a turn for the worse and triggers a domino effect that strains transportation, commodity...

COP27: A ‘notable disappointment’ for sustainable food systems

22-Nov-2022 By Katy Askew

As climate talks conclude in Sharm El Sheikh, for the first time ever a deal has been reached that will see agriculture integrated into the UN’s climate action body. The result of lengthy talks and a significant process of negotiation, does the so-called...

Futureproofing the Food System: The environmental impact of food systems takes center stage

14-Nov-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

As international leaders gather in Egypt for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 27) to discuss, for the first time, the impact of food and agriculture systems on the environment, industry stakeholders large and small already are fighting to mitigate...

Frank Jaksch joins Ayana Bio as CEO: ‘I’m really excited about being back in the exploration mode’

24-Aug-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Plant cell technology company and Ginkgo Bioworks spin off Ayana Bio has appointed ChromaDex founder and former CEO Frank Jaksch as its new CEO.

Botanical yields fall as climate change affects harvests

17-Aug-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Extreme weather events from heat waves and droughts to ‘hundred-year storms’ happening every two years, the impact of climate change is obvious. And few industries are witnessing the impact as much as botanical supply chain.

Planet FWD raises $10m to help CPG companies reduce their carbon footprints, develop eco-friendly products

26-May-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

With $10m in series A funding, the carbon assessment platform Planet FWD hopes to dramatically reduce the time it takes CPG companies to evaluate and neutralize their environmental impact while simultaneously speeding up their development of eco-friendly...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Climate Neutral helps brands calculate, offset emissions & tell sustainability story

09-May-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

More consumers are factoring sustainability into their purchase decisions, according to data from NielsenIQ, but effectively and efficiently communicating a product’s environmental impact in less than the 10 seconds most shoppers spend deciding what to...

IPCC report puts food at the heart of climate battle: ‘We have the potential to mitigate climate change’

05-Apr-2022 By Katy Askew

We are nowhere near on track to keep global warning below 2°C, was the stark conclusion of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. But hope was also on offer. FoodNavigator looks at how food system transformation can help mitigate...

UN demands more diverse food production methods as report warns climate change risks are greater than thought

01-Mar-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Nearly a third of the world's crop fields will be unsuitable for food production by the end of this century unless carbon emissions are curbed, warns the latest instalment of the IPCC climate change report.

Ancient Nutrition partners with Rodale Institute for regenerative ag transition

14-Feb-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Supplement brand Ancient Nutrition has announced a scientific research partnership with regenerative organic agriculture pioneers Rodale Institute on its regenerative agricultural efforts.

Traditional growing regions for coffee, cashews, and avocados predicted to shift as Earth warms

02-Feb-2022 By Oliver Morrison

The most suitable regions for growing coffee arabica, cashews, and avocados will decline in some of the main countries that produce these crops as climate change progresses, predicts new first-of-its-kind analysis.

More extreme weather, continued shipping delays raise risks in botanical ingredient supply chains

09-Dec-2021 By Hank Schultz

The current supply disruptions are likely to continue until at least the third quarter of 2022, industry professionals have told NutraIngredients-USA. And continuing questions of climate change and the political instability that might cause will put...

Is food and agriculture missing from the political debate at COP26?

04-Nov-2021 By Katy Askew

Food and agriculture are central to meeting climate goals. Has the industry been left off the agenda at COP26?

Mars details net zero targets: ‘We can’t wait decades to see progress’

05-Oct-2021 By Katy Askew

Global rice-to-chocolate giant Mars Inc. has said it will reach net zero emissions across its full value chain by 2050. Discussing the move, chief executive Grant F. Reid insisted ‘gaps’ in industry pledges need to be addressed and argued long-term aims...

How ag investment can bring water and climate goals within reach: ‘Our traditional ways of working have not kept pace with the changes the world is undergoing’

30-Aug-2021 By Katy Askew

For the Global South to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, help stabilise global warming and protect water resources, agricultural innovation is needed. Investing US$15.2bn a year more will bring a number of ‘critical goals’ within reach, according...

Epicurious drops beef going forward in favor of more plant-based recipes – but is the move ‘elitist’ or ‘one of the best decisions’?

27-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

The popular recipe and home cooking platform Epicurious is dropping beef from its repertoire going forward in favor of more plant-based options to amplify the conversation about sustainable diets, stem the steady uptick in beef sales in the US and give...

Quantis leverages satellite tech to map crop footprint: ‘It fills a giant knowledge gap’

26-Jan-2021 By Katy Askew

Quantis is launching geoFootprint, a digital tool that the company describes as the ‘first’ to use satellite technology to map the environmental impact of food production on an interactive map. The innovation holds the key to ‘smarter, science-driven...

PepsiCo doubles climate goal: ‘There is simply no other option but immediate and aggressive action’

14-Jan-2021 By Rachel Arthur

PepsiCo is targeting a reduction of absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its value chain by more than 40% by 2030. It is aiming for net-zero emissions by 2040.

Rabobank's FoodBytes! winners offer solutions for food waste, climate change and improved health

04-Dec-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

In a year when food waste, climate change, social inequity and health & wellness have dominated headlines, it is fitting that the winners of Rabobank’s virtual FoodBytes! 2020 Pitch competition offer solutions to address these challenges and help...

Climate change will offset CO2 crop yield gains: ‘We need to breed and engineer future-proof crops’

04-Nov-2020 By Katy Askew

The expected future increase in crop yields due to higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will be offset by stressors linked to climate change. Now is the time to prepare by developing future-proof varieties, researchers urge.

Unilever procurement chief talks climate crisis: ‘The world's food system needs to change’

16-Jul-2020 By Katy Askew

Unilever recently set out a range of commitments to tackle climate change as well as halt – and even reverse – the degradation of the natural world. This includes a target to reach net zero emissions from all products by 2039. FoodNavigator speaks to...

Scientists unlocking heat-tolerant wheat: ‘This could protect food supply as the climate changes’

13-May-2020 By Katy Askew

Researchers working on molecular-level responses in crops have taken a step closer to their goal of producing heat-tolerant wheat. “This benefits the sustainability of the food system by protecting food supply as the climate changes,” project lead Dr...

96% of the globe may have insufficient access by 2100

Could climate change cause DHA omega-3 from oceans to plummet?

04-Mar-2020 By Stephen Daniells

Warming oceans may deliver a crushing blow to the production of DHA omega-3 by algae, which would ripple up the food chain and slash the global availability of this critical nutrient by 2100, says a scientific paper. But could rapid advances in plant...

Most consumers don’t link diet & climate, but sustainability marketing could boost plant-based sales

17-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Rising consumer concern about climate change is a powerful – but underused – marketing lever for plant-based products, according to new research from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

Farmers must be part of climate change solution, not stigmatized as problem, Rep. Pingree argues

12-Dec-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Agriculture accounts for approximately a quarter of annual greenhouse gas emissions, but rather than scapegoat farmers for climate change Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine wants stakeholders across the supply chain, along with legislators and consumers, to...

To fend off ‘syndemic,’ industry must address obesity, malnutrition & climate change together

02-Dec-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

In recent years, food manufacturers have elevated the connection between the health of their business and the health of the planet through increased investments in environmental sustainability – a move that has generated significant consumer interest,...

Climate change commitments address food waste, GHG, biodiversity

01-Oct-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

As protesters and activists filled the streets of New York City last week to draw attention to climate change, many food and beverage companies around the globe also touted existing and new commitments to reduce their impact on the planet.

Breakfast cereals may not be so g-r-r-r-eat for the environment: Report calls on Kellogg, General Mills, Post and Quaker to change sourcing practices

05-Aug-2019 By Gill Hyslop

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is calling on four of the world’s leading cereal makers to make ‘relatively small commitments’ in the way they source grains, which would go a long way to combat climate change.

Sustainable packaging: Hershey moves to display-ready cases

26-Jun-2017 By Douglas Yu

Hershey has redesigned display-ready cases for all its packaged chocolate candy brands, including Kisses Milk Chocolate.

Act now to ensure food security in the face of climate change, Obama tells entrepreneurs

10-May-2017 By Jess Auboiroux

Climate change represents a major threat to food security throughout the world, according to former US President Barack Obama, and entrepreneurs, scientists and the food industry must act to mitigate the consequences.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Countering the impact of climate change on coffee

10-Feb-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Every year more people wake up to coffee or use it to fuel them day, but according to a comprehensive report recently published by the Climate Institute, this early morning ritual, and everything that goes into making it possible, face significant threats...

13 food giants pledge to ‘redouble’ climate change efforts at COP22

21-Nov-2016 By Louis Gore-Langton

A coalition of food industry giants pledged to “redouble their efforts” in combating carbon emissions, carbon dioxide and deforestation, at the COP22 meeting in Morocco last week.

CO2 rises could fuel obesity as plants “carb-load”

14-Apr-2016 By David Burrows

The nutritional quality of food will plummet as carbon emissions rise, with every bite delivering less protein, fewer micronutrients and more sugars, according to a report released this week.

USDA report outlines climate change impact on global food security

15-Dec-2015 By Adi Menayang

Though the direct impact of rising temperatures on agricultural yields is widely known, researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) press that the processing and packaging steps of the global food system are crucial intervention points to...

Climate change a ‘risk’ to global food security

03-Dec-2015 By Oscar Rousseau

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has warned that efforts to tackle climate change will have an adverse knock-on effect to global food security.