Abstract of talk

The aim of this talk is to explore a young person’s perspective on the changing interplay between food safety, nutrition and sustainability. Is it possible to have safe, nutritious and sustainable food? Young people are spilling out onto the streets demanding swift action against the effects of climate change. We know that climate change is inextricably connected to sustainable and safe food production. The effects of climate change, compounded with the increase in demand for food, have pushed the environment to its tipping point. Factors such as the loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, etc. have created further challenges for ensuring food safety. With this in mind, our diets, along with food production, are a main contributor to environmental degradation.
Young people recognise the importance of diets and their impact on vulnerable communities and the environment. We are therefore demanding more healthy, balanced and sustainable diets. The push for a shift towards plant-based diets relates to health as well as ethical considerations about climate change and animal welfare. These sentiments were echoed at the UNFSS and at COP26. Many young people are adamant that shifting to foods that are less resource-intensive is a step in the right direction. With the increased demand for safe and healthy food products, the goal should also be to improve nutrition, economic and social well-being, and overall food security.
Finally, it is clear that approaching food safety independently from nutrition and sustainability does not work and will not be enough to find solutions to current challenges. In our view, it is possible that this approach will be outpaced quickly by new developments in science, societal expectations and policy targets. As we look towards the future, we ask for governments and institutions to better incorporate nutritional, environmental, social and economic considerations into future food safety assessments, so that they remain relevant and continue to meet new societal expectations.