High-level event: Bringing urban food policies to the table

Actions Panel

High-level event: Bringing urban food policies to the table

An in-person political event to reiterate cities' key role for food system transformation and advocate for an ambitious EU legislation

By EUROCITIES

Date and time

Thu, 9 Mar 2023 13:30 - 17:10 CET

Location

To be announced

About this event

This event is not hybrid and will take place in person in Brussels. No live-streaming is foreseen. The organisers reserve the right to confirm registrations and will share the venue and practical details with such confirmation.

Why an event on urban food policies?

When more cities aim to become climate neutral, when the effects of climate change are increasingly visible, food systems, responsible for about 30% of global emissions (IPCC 2019), cannot be neglected.

At a time of successive crises, punctuated by the current war in Ukraine, the energy and cost of living crisis, and shortages and disturbance in food supply chains, it is urgent to act on food systems to ensure everyone can access healthy, nutritious and quality food.

Food systems, at the heart of which are cities, must evolve to become more ecological, resilient, fair for producers and consumers, circular and healthy.

European cities are already acting and co-creating measures and policies with citizens and local food stakeholders to limit food systems' impact on climate and the environment, improve citizens' well-being, shorten and strengthen production chains, and guarantee access to good food for all.

Why now?

In 2023, the European Commission will put forward the proposal for a legislative framework for sustainable food systems (FSFS), one of the flagship initiatives of the Farm to Fork Strategy. Its goal is to accelerate and facilitate the transition towards more sustainable food systems.

Eurocities and the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact will organise this event on 9 March 2023 to join the conversation on how such a comprehensive policy should look and share cities' perspectives, achievements and ambitions to reiterate their essential role in transforming food systems.

Background information

Since 2015, Eurocities, the network of major European cities, and the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, an international agreement on urban food policies signed by + 250 cities worldwide, have been carrying the cities' voice and supporting those actively committed to transforming urban food systems, improving people's health and well-being and making cities more sustainable, inclusive, and future-proof.

Since October 2020, the EU-funded project Food Trails has put cities at the heart of food system transformation. This research action project gathers researchers, cities, and food organisations around the co-design and co-implementation of Pilot Actions, through participatory Living Labs, as a leverage point for developing urban food policies in 11 European cities and regions.

Programme

Master of ceremonies: Andrea Magarini, Director of food policy, Milan

13.30-14.00: Registration and welcome coffee

14.00-14.10: Opening words by Anna Scavuzzo, Vice mayor in charge of Food Policy and Education, Milan

14.10-14.30: Keynote speech from Maurizio Martina Deputy General Director Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

14.30-15.30: Panel debate with cities representatives, followed by open questions- From ambitions to reality: how to deliver an ambitious food policy that works for everyone?

15.30-15.45: Break

15.45-16.00: Speech- "Investing for impact in sustainable urban food systems" by Thom Achterbosch, Wageningen University and Research

16.00-17.00: Panel debate with cities representatives, followed by open questions- Innovation, citizens' engagement and cooperation with the private sector, how to work together in cities?

17.00-17.10: Concluding remarks by Andrea Magarini, Director of food Policy, Milan

Any questions?

Please contact Anja De Cunto (anja.decunto@eurocities.eu) or Alice Jan Dahan (alice.jandahan@eurocities.eu).

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