Panelist

Joanna Trewern is an expert in healthy, sustainable diets and sustainable food systems. Most recently, she was Head of Consumption at WWF-UK, where she led the organisation's work on healthy, sustainable diets. Her experience spans corporate sustainability, policy and advocacy, research, and communications. Through her work Joanna has engaged with and influenced diverse stakeholders - from UN agencies and multinational food companies to academics, policymakers, and the general public - and is passionate about finding solutions to real-world challenges. As well as influencing national policy and engaging with a range of food businesses to guide their corporate sustainability strategies, Joanna has shaped multilateral policymaking processes through invited leadership roles at the UN Food Systems Summit (2020-21) and the FAO World Food Forum Young Scientists Group (2022-23). She also has experience of working across different continents to implement impactful and inclusive conservation, education and nutrition security programs that build the skills and agency of local communities. Joanna has a PhD in Sustainability (University of Surrey) and an MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management (University of Oxford). Her PhD research explored how food retailers can enable the adoption of more sustainable consumer diets in the UK, using the lens of 'less and better' meat and dairy. Her research involved working with retailers in the UK to trial behavioural interventions for sustainable diets from store to household and has been published in top-tier journals.

Talk: Managing demand within planetary boundaries

Abstract: Bringing the food system within planetary boundaries will not be possible without addressing demand. Projections estimate that without demand management, emissions from the production of meat, dairy and rice alone will surpass the 1.5 degree climate target.1 Food consumption and distribution is unequal, the triple burden of malnutrition (underweight, overweight, micronutrient deficiencies) is increasing in all regions of the world. Competing demands for land use put pressure on food security.

To optimise food production according to nutrition, environment and justice will require redefining food system goals and metrics at international and national levels. Current goals and measures of success (metrics) for global food production focus on quantity (yield) but neglect quality (the sustainable production of nutritious food), while approaches to reduce the climate impacts of food systems risk further intensifying food production and exacerbating demand. Providing healthy diets from sustainable food systems for all within planetary boundaries will require prioritising the sustainable production of nutritious food and ensuring this is distributed equitably.

Interventions to address demand remain largely absent from national food and farming policy plans despite their importance in addressing food systems impacts. Demand can be influenced across the food supply chain from production to consumption. Levers to influence demand include trade, legislation, finance, and food environments. More work is needed to establish interim steps and politically feasible yet ambitious interventions that will enable us to reach 2030 goals for climate, nature and people. Demonstrating political feasibility and public acceptance is critical to increase political willingness to implement demand management measures between now and 2030.

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