Cibi e Bevande
Ahead of UN Food Systems Summit, Global Alliance Urges "Full and Unequivocal Commitment" to Measuring the True Cost of Food
The letter is an urgent call to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Special Envoy Agnes Kalibata to ensure that True Cost Accounting is an imperative pathway coming out of the UNFSS:
. "We know that bold action -- whether that's through new metrics to inform decision-making to ramping up investment in solutions like agroecology -- can have transformational effects across agendas for nations worldwide. ."
True Cost Accounting is a dynamic policy making approach that captures all of the positive and negative impacts of food systems on our economy, environment and society. A recent report from The Rockefeller Foundation , a Global Alliance member, found that while the United States spends $1 .1t annually on food, when the "hidden" impacts of the food system -- from rising diet-related disease and accelerating biodiversity loss and increasingly precarious livelihoods -- are factored in, the "true cost" of the U.S. food system is at least $3.2 trillion a year. At a global level, the costs are estimated to be USD $19.8 trillion per year .
, recognizing it as a key lever to transform food systems. Countries and public and private organizations involved are invited to step up as active members, aligning policies according to the 13 agroecology principles identified by the CFS High Level Panel of Experts, redirecting investments, and more.
. The network, which has been responsible for providing counsel to the Action Tracks, identifying gaps and key issues and participating in the country-level dialogues, is expected to issue a joint letter identifying the key themes and imperatives for global systems change.
"Diverse networks and global coalitions stand ready to be the champions for food systems transformation," said Richardson, "but UN and global leaders must also commit to transformational change - and to measuring the real costs of our food."