Rationale and Background
Food plays a significant role in optimizing human health and enhancing environmental sustainability. Yet, in recent years there have been concerns about food becoming a threat to the planet and its people. According to Trolle et al., the food systems account for about 21% to 37% of the total greenhouse gas emissions, which is bound to escalate up to 40% if there are no interventions1. Agricultural practices such as greenhouse farming use of pesticides and fertilizers have had negative repercussions on the ecosystem. Although such products can aid in feeding the ever-growing global population, they are neither sustainable nor safe for the environment. Therefore, it is essential to develop new strategies for making food sustainable while protecting the environment.
The Scandinavian/Nordic countries, including Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, are making great efforts in food sustainability. Noteworthy, the 2022 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) state that the citizens should eat healthy diets that are more climate-friendly2. The NNR was developed by top experts in the countries who use the world health organization (WHO) guidelines and latest scientific data to provide a standard nutritional system3. One of the areas that the Nordic nations focus on is consumer carbon footprint labels as a way of minimizing harmful emissions.
The Danish have now adopted a planet rich diet which takes into account the association between food consumption and developing chronic diseases. In turn, the suggested menu contains low levels of meat and discretionary food with high amounts of legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and potatoes1. The people are also advised to eat moderate amounts of fish, dairy, and milk. Studies indicate that partial replacement of meat and dairy with plant-based food will result in a 20% to 40% reduction in the CF1. Therefore, the efforts that Denmark is making is bound to have several advantages to the climate.
Target Population
Successful revolutions always start with the youth because they are vibrant and purposeful in their endeavors. The target population will be young adults/professionals of ages 18 to 35 years. Most people in that developmental stage are either pursuing their higher education or are starting their careers. They are also healthy and active enough to carry out beneficial initiatives such as campaigning for planet-friendly food products. The young professionals can make a conscious decision to educate others in their families or workplaces about climate change. Moreover, the population of the Scandinavian countries is on the decline such that the youth demographic is prime for relevant efforts in enhancing people’s health and protecting the climate.
Intervention
The intervention will involve creating a certification application for the consumer CF following the example of Denmark. Noteworthy, Denmark is the first country globally to take a practical initiative into sustainable food program. The country, which has a population of 5.8 million, announced through the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries (DFAF) that it will have a state-controlled climate label1. Particularly, all organizations that produce environment friendly food production will be branded by the country. The Danish government has allocated 9 million kroner for the Danish Veterinary and Food. Administration (DVFA) to create a proposal for the label which indicate the carbon footprint (CF) for different food. The move is expected to help Denmark achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Thus, the country will manage to reduce its annual pollution from agricultural produce.
In addition, the project will adopt other climate friendly and sustainable agricultural business strategies. For instance, the development of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) which is now used across all Scandinavian countries will be part of the App development 5. Specifically, the people are encouraged to consume local foods which have been studied for high nutritional content over the last forty years. Furthermore, companies will be required to label their energy consumption as such trend has shown 7% reduction in carbon emmisions6. The organizations will also have to adopt an eco-design rule to aid in consumer purchase decision.
Evaluation of Intervention
There are several quantitative and qualitative program evaluation strategy that will be used to ensure the project is achieving its goal of enhancing health and environment. Specifically, there will be annual assessment of companies to verify whether they are using the carbon labels. The statistical records will be registered in percentages and use of visual graphs and chart to show whether there is progress or decline in GHC emissions. In addition, during the annual reviews there will be interviews and observation of the target population to check on their meal patterns and health.
Budget
The budgetary allocations will major on three primary components of the program. The App development for the target population will take about $ 800 to include all the features and components of a healthy menu. Money will for conducting CF research will cost $30 since it will be a systematic review. The objective will be to search the library database to find relevant sources for the assessment. Some finances of approximately $300 will be needed for lobbying/council hearings. With a miscellanies expenditure set at $20 the budget totals will be $1150.
Conclusion
Food and environmental sustainability are integral for the survival of the current and future generations. The lifestyle that people take when choosing their menu has a significant impact on both their health and the environment. Recognition of these pattern has led to the development of NNR which was adopted in 2022 for all the Scandinavian countries to adopt climate-friendly diet. Denmark has already taken the initiative to develop a government sponsored CF label for all foods in the country. Mimicking such an endeavor with a target population of young professional adults may have a positive impact on people and planet. The project will cost more than a thousand dollars and evaluated on an annual basis. It is expected that the initiative will be successful in enhancing the health of citizens while promoting a sustainable planet.
References
Trolle E, Nordman M, Anne DL, Colley TA, Mogensen L. Carbon Footprint Reduction by Transitioning to a Diet Consistent with the Danish Climate-Friendly Dietary Guidelines: A Comparison of Different Carbon Footprint Databases. Foods. 2022;11(8):1119.
Lancet Commision. Summary Report of the EAT-Lancet Commission. knowledge4policy. 2019.
World Health Organization. Making diets environmentally friendly: Nordic countries lead the way. www.euro.who.int.
Sheldon M. Denmark to Become First Country to Develop Climate Label for Food. NYC Food Policy Center (Hunter College).
Meltzer HM, Brantsæter AL, Trolle E, et al. Environmental Sustainability Perspectives of the Nordic Diet. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2248.
Burrows D. Can a climate label for food work? just – food global news. 2018.