Urban food systems

Two thirds of the global population will be living in cities by 2050. Building sustainable food systems will be increasingly dependent on actions at the city level to reconnect urban markets to sustainable food production in their hinterland, and to ensure access to decent food, mitigate climate change and combat obesity. These questions have underpinned IPES-Food’s case studies on urban food policies, as well as its work to bring together pioneering cities and regions to highlight the climate mitigation role of sub-national food policies in the run-up to COP26 through the Glasgow Food & Climate Declaration.

Publications

All publications

June 2017 | Urban food systems

What makes urban food policy happen? Insights from five case studies

Through a series of five case studies, this report provides insights into the factors that enable the development and delivery of urban food policies, how these enablers can be harnessed, and how barriers can be overcome.

Read the full report ( EN | ES )
Read the executive summary ( EN )

July 2020

The Glasgow Food & Climate Declaration

Developed by IPES-Food, Nourish Scotland and partners, the Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration pledges to accelerate the development of integrated food policies as a key tool in the fight against climate change, commits local authorities to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from urban and regional food systems in accordance with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, and calls on national governments and international institutions to act.

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May 2017

What makes urban food policy happen? Ingredients for change

Former IPES-Food panel member, Professor Corinna Hawkes and Dr Jess Halliday, consultant and researcher present strategies to implement urban food policies during the Food 2030 workshop "Cities for Food Systems Innovation and Green Jobs".

October 2016

Urban food policies and their role in sustainable food systems

Event Summary for IPES-Food side event at CFS 43 co-organized with IPES-Food, UNESCO Chair on World Food Systems (Montpellier), Ivory Coast, FAO, IUFN. This side event explored governance and implementation of sub-national food policies. It identified how national and international framing can support local level policy, magnify the effects, and assure its longevity.