About Project
Climate Friendly Cuisine
Can we start reducing our carbon footprint from our kitchen? A third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions occur during food generation1. Livestock production is responsible for 18% of all GHG emissions2. So, it's possible to reduce our carbon footprint by changing what's on our plate!
Food systems including production, transportation, handling of food, loss and waste cause climate change. One-third of the world's food supply is never eaten and that food waste contributes to 8-10% of GHG emissions3. Food goes to waste with our current lifestyle, on the other hand, people are struggling with hunger. In 2020, 768 million people struggled with chronic hunger, and now more than 45 million people in 43 countries are on the brink of famine4.
Our current diet and food production are not sustainable for the health of both the planet and individuals. It is estimated that in the EU in 2017 over 950,000 deaths were attributable to unhealthy diets (one out of five). Over half of the adult population in the EU are now overweight5. The use of pesticides in agriculture pollutes water, soil and air and threatens biological diversity, human and animal health. To reduce the effects of climate change and to build sustainable food systems, it is clear that a healthy planet, healthy societies and healthy individuals should be considered as a whole. Today, the restaurant and catering industry produces a lot of food waste and uses high-carbon-footprint ingredients in their menus, which have a large share in GHG emissions. The consumption of animal-based foods, the use of materials that come with long-distance transportation, and the preference of environmentally harmful products cause intense carbon footprints.
The food system in the world will begin to transform from the table. Chefs and those working in this field can make a positive impact on the environment with the food they bring into their kitchens and the dishes they cook. A chef or aspiring chef can lead positive changes in our eating habits through the dishes they choose to serve. It can make a difference by offering sustainability, seasonality, creativity and taste together. There are chefs in various parts of the world who make a difference and create a sustainable cuisine by using completely locally sourced, seasonal and low carbon footprint materials. Our aim is to spread the chefs who are aware of biodiversity, who both prevent food waste and create a sustainable kitchen, and recognize their region and the food materials in the region.
Thus, our aim is to contribute to the transformation of the restaurant and catering sector into climate-friendly ones. Other goals we want to achieve:
- Increasing the awareness of chefs and culinary students operating in the food industry
- Contributing to the vocational training of professionals operating in this sector, improving their skills and enabling them to see good practices.
- Creating carbon neutral & climate-friendly recipes and making these recipes popular
- Ensuring that good practices from Europe and the world are shared by the project partners
1.Crippa, M., Solazzo, E., Guizzardi, D., Monforti-Ferrario, F., Tubiello, F. N., & Leip, A. (2021b, March 1). Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions. Nature Food; Nature Portfolio. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00225-9
2.Livestock’s long shadow. (2006). https://www.fao.org/3/a0701e/a0701e00.htm
3.Emissions Gap Report 2021. (n.d.). UNEP – UN Environment Programme. https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021
4.45 million people at risk of famine require urgent intervention | World Food Programme. (2021, November 8). https://www.wfp.org/stories/45-million-people-are-famines-door
5.Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system. (2020). European Commission. https://food.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2020-05/f2f_action-plan_2020_strategy-info_en.pdf