The 2030 Sustainable Food Strategy citizen participation process ends with nearly 1,000 people having taken part

The citizen process to define the Barcelona 2030 Sustainable Food Strategy has ended with nearly 1,000 citizens taking part.

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16/06/2022 - 17:58 h - Participation Ajuntament de Barcelona

This initiative, driven by Barcelona City Council in collaboration with the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan (PEMB) was carried out online and in person. Its aim was to look at what has been worked on in the framework of the city plenary sessions with city residents and to gather their opinions on what needs to be done to transform the city’s food system.

The process ran from 4 May to 12 June on the Decidim.Barcelona platform and also included dynamic face-to-face sessions. Specifically, 8 open face-to-face sessions were held with entities and citizens, as well as thematic and other sectoral face-to-face meetings with professionals and representatives from specific areas of sectors such as health, education, commerce, the food industry, catering, food aid and so on.

The Strategy will be the shared roadmap to be followed over the next eight years with regard to food policies in the city, both for the City Council and for the other players involved. It will contain the vision, goals, lines of work and some examples of projects that will guide the transformation of the city’s food system in the immediate and long-term future.

Because a sustainable food system benefits people, the planet and places. To achieve this, we need to produce, transform, sell, buy and consume food in a way that generates economic prosperity, promotes social justice, looks after, conserves and regenerates our resources and ecosystems, and safeguards future generations’ ability to also eat sustainably.

The process of drawing up the Strategy began last January with the participation of over 100 organisations from various sectors of the food system committed to sustainable food from areas as diverse as public institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, civil society, communication professionals and representatives from all municipal groups, among others. That was in addition to the contributions made by the general public through the participatory process. The final document is intended to be ready this autumn.

The document aims to ensure that sustainable food boosts the local economy, combats inequalities and takes care of people’s health, as well as that of the planet, without endangering future generations. This will last until the autumn of this year and will include various forums to ensure the participation of different stakeholders as well as the general public.

Beyond the limitations of local council powers in this area and as part of the different international agreements (Milan Pact), the city is reinforcing and consolidating its commitment to sustainable food as a strategy to tackle the climate emergency, as well as working to ensure the whole population has access to healthy and sustainable food and strengthening sustainable local economies (food production, catering and local commerce). This initiative is part of the project developed by the city as World Capital of Sustainable Food in 2021 and is one of its legacies.

The goals of Barcelona’s 2030 Sustainable Food Strategy, which are in line with the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, are as follows:

  • Goal 1. To increase the production, sale and consumption of seasonal, local and agro-ecological food and its distribution in shorter, fairer and more balanced chains.

  • Goal 2. To protect and reclaim urban and peri-urban agricultural spaces.

  • Goal 3. To promote and champion healthy, sustainable diets for everyone.

  • Goal 4. To prevent food loss and waste.

  • Goal 5. To combat the climate emergency and the extinction crisis.

  • Goal 6. To promote a cultural shift towards sustainable food.

  • Goal 7. To promote and foster fair relations in the food chain.

  • Goal 8. To coordinate and mobilise stakeholders in the food system to carry out specific and measurable actions and activities linked to existing strategies.

There are various participation spaces to ensure all the stakeholders who want to promote the transformation of the food system are involved in drawing up this strategy, of which the plenary sessions and the Advisory Board are the most representative. The latter comprises some 20 experts and representatives of diverse sectors, among them Ana Moragues from the University of Barcelona, Toni Masanés from the Alícia Foundation and the chef Xavier Pellicer.

Barcelona makes progress in its commitment to tackle the climate emergency

Barcelona has been committed to transforming the food system for years now in order to tackle the climate emergency. Because the current model produces between 21% and 37% of greenhouse emissions on a global level. To combat the climate emergency in a credible and effective way, and thus avoid the worst-case climate crisis scenarios predicted for the end of this century, it is essential we urgently transform the way we produce, eat and get rid of food and switch to other more sustainable models.

So, to ensure there is continuity and as proof of the City Council’s firm commitment stemming from the city’s world capital status, an annual budget is being established along with a specific Barcelona City Council department. However, a series of specialised technical leads will be established to work for sustainable food in strategic bodies such as the Barcelona Education Consortium, the Municipal Markets Institute, Mercabarna and the Barcelona Public Health Agency, as well as stable instruments of collaboration with the Catalan Government and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.

It should be borne in mind that in 2021 the City Council made a great effort, both financially and in terms of human resources, in this area in order to make Barcelona the World Capital of Sustainable Food. This in turn involved a whole series of events and initiatives that were held and implemented throughout the year, with a high concentration during the autumn. In all over 200 events and activities have been held and some 90 projects launched.

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