Environment & Food Security

Overview

The way we produce and consume food is the single largest driver of environmental decline. Half of all habitable land is dedicated to agriculture today, of which over 3/4 is specifically for animal production that accounts for fewer than 20% of global calories. Agriculture accounts for around one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, is the leading cause of deforestation and biodiversity loss, and consumes 70% of the world’s freshwater. Intensive, animal-centered production systems magnify these pressures while leaving soils depleted and ecosystems fragile.

At the same time, the system fails to deliver security. Nearly 800 million people remain undernourished, while billions face diets that harm long-term health. Climate change and ecosystem breakdown are already disrupting harvests, pushing up prices, and heightening the risk of hunger and political instability. Without transformation, these risks will only intensify. Shifting diets towards plant-rich, low-carbon and healthier foods would free up huge swathes of land that can be rewilded.

But evidence shows the opposite is possible: sustainable food systems can lower emissions, restore nature, conserve water, and ensure reliable access to healthy diets. Reducing food loss and waste, diversifying crops, and scaling climate-smart and resilient practices are central to both planetary health and human security.

What you’ll find here

• Climate Impacts: Emissions, land-use change, and pathways to reduce them.
• Biodiversity & Nature: Deforestation, species loss, and ecosystem restoration.
• Water & Soil: Evidence on use, degradation, and sustainable management.
• Food Security: Links between diets, affordability, and stable access to food.
• Risk & Resilience: How food systems respond to shocks, conflicts, and climate extremes.
• Overviews: Flagship reports connecting environment and food security.