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Climate justice: Its impact & relationship with healthy food policy

November 8^th, Kingston, Jamaica

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Our roadmap

Introduction
Climate change and food connections
Open conversation
Climate change & NCDs
UPP industry as extractive industry
Open conversation

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Introduction: Food discussions in climate change context

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Introduction: Food discussions in climate change context

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Introduction: Looking at the problem

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Introduction: Looking at the problem

UPPs are highly unsustainable products.^xciii,xciv Based on our work around promoting policy change regulating UPPs as a NCD risk factor, the critical role that industry practices play across the supply chain threatening the full enjoyment of the right to health is clear. As these actors create negative externalities throughout the food systems, it is useful to outline some of the main adverse environmental impacts of these unhealthy foods and beverages:

The production of UPPs require large amounts of water, which can put a strain on local water resources. UPPs consume 393.4 liters (about 103.93 gal) of water and 2.21 square meters per 1000 kcal of food produced. ^xcv In areas where water is already scarce, the production of UPPs can exacerbate the problem and affect the health of the population by reducing their access to clean drinking water. Moreover, the waste generated by UPP consumption also generates water contamination. For instance, Coca-Cola has exploited water resources in Chiapas, Mexico, generating potable water scarcity in the region while also promoting consumption of sodas.^xcvi Moreover, the company and other UPP corporations are the leading world plastic polluters.^xcvii
UPPs require intensive land-use crops such as sugar, corn, palm oil and soy. As these crops are generated under the agribusinesses-oriented food systems, the use of land leads to deforestation and the destruction of natural habitats, which can have a negative impact on the health of the population living in or near these areas. This phenomenon can also lead to land grabbing situations affecting particular communities or groups who are displaced from their territories. For instance, Agropalma S.A. (a company that supplies palm oil to Nestlé) expelled quilombola communities from their traditional territories in Brazil.^xcviii In Indonesia, companies such as Pepsico, Nestlé, and Unilever, were accused of purchasing palm oil through illegal rainforest destruction.^xcix
Food production can also impact the availability of nutritious food in certain areas, as highlighted in response to question 1. If production is focused on crops that are not particularly nutritious or if there is limited access to fresh produce, people living or working in these areas may be at increased risk for malnutrition and other health issues. For instance, according to a global OXFAM report, at least 70% of the world’s poor people live in rural areas, and women represent at least 50% of the agricultural labour force in developing countries.^c In addition, economic impact, the production of UPPs is driven by corporate interests and profit motives, which contribute to economic inequality and limit the ability of local communities to control their food systems.
UPPs require long transportation distances encouraged by extensive supply chains that can lead to unsustainable practices due to extensive carbon emissions, with immeasurable consequences across the supply chain.^ci,cii
Last but not least, marketing strategies coming from the UPP industry is another practice that can threaten food security. Marketing should be broadly understood to include advertising, promotion and sponsorship strategies with the potential to position a product or brand and influence consumer behaviours; therefore, CSR initiatives which allow corporations to be seen as part of the solution are also marketing tactics that allow companies to wash their image or reputation before different audiences. Many CSR initiatives around the world are linked to food banks whose valuable aim to fight hunger has been tweaked by the private sector to provide cheap calories –through UPPs - to those groups that need nutritious and healthy food the most.^ciii,civ
Plastic pollution

Furthermore, the following graph briefly describes these impacts across the food supply chain^cv:

The unsustainability of UPP is clear. Its production and consumption have significant negative environmental, social, and health impacts across the supply chain, mainly affecting populations that are already in situations of vulnerability. The need for comprehensive policy changes that make industry accountable and put sustainability and human rights at the centre and before profits is urgent to ensure the full enjoyment of the human right to health and its connected rights.

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Introduction: Looking at the problem

FIAN International: Corporate capture of food systems

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Exploring solutions

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Introduction: Solutions in climate change context

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Introduction: Solutions in climate change context

Targeted consumer subsidies and removal of taxes on healthy foods will also help to lower the costs of healthy diets for low-income households.

Consumers can be encouraged to make healthy, sustainable food choices through changes in the food environment, including use of food standards, labeling, and certifications that warn of unhealthy foods and signal the nutritional value and environ- mental footprint of foods.

The ecological footprint of healthy diets — those without excessive consumption of highly processed foods and red meats — has been found to be much lower than that of prevailing diets across the world, but especially those in advanced countries.

All countries should adopt national food-based dietary guidelines. Innovation policies should prioritize R&D for nutrient-rich foods (including fruits and vegetables) to make healthy diets more affordable.

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Climate justice

“Climate justice approaches focus on the root causes of the climate crisis and how climate change builds on and magnifies inequalities among countries and within countries. Its demands are based on the imperative of addressing such imbalances and injustices, starting from centring climate action on the perspectives, knowledge and demands of groups and communities most affected by the climate crisis.”

(Amnesty International)

“The climate crisis must be understood as a human rights crisis. (…) The way we produce, distribute and eat food is closely entangled with global ecological destruction.”

(FIAN International)

“Climate Justice seeks to challenge the influential role of the big polluters, alongside their host governments, for refusing to take responsibility for climate change, weakening political commitments, and hindering the implementation of required solutions to help mitigate and avert future catastrophes.” (Greenpeace)

Introduction: Solutions from the FPP

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Introduction: Solutions from the FPP

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Introduction: Solutions from the FPP - examples

Actions against UPP companies due to greenwashing by El Poder del Consumidor in partnership with Greenpeace.

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Youth advocacy of the FOPWL law using an environmental perspective.

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Introduction: Solutions from the FPP - examples

Ghana passed a 20% tax on SSBs trough the Excise Duty Amendment Act. The tax extends to alcohol, tobacco, and plastic products.

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Local partners leveraged environmental narratives and human rights (right to water, food sovereignty, etc.) to fight for the incorporation of an SSB tax to the national fiscal reform.

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Advocacy for a sustainable, healthy and solidarity-based tax reform and “sustainability” incorporated in National Food Guidelines and National School Meals Program.

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Thank You

Juan Carballo | jcarballo@advocacyincubator.org | @IncubatorGHAI

www.advocacyincubator.org