In 2040, 9 out of 10 meals are within planetary boundaries
PROJECT
Climate metrics for sustainability -
A foundation for setting and tracking climate goals
Background
Climate change remains a top priority for society, and the challenges it presents require collaborative efforts from public organizations, businesses, producers, distributors, and academia. According to the IPCC, there is an urgent need for more rapid action and systemic transformation, with the food system playing a crucial role in climate mitigation. National and international regulatory measures are needed to guide this transition, along with the development of supportive tools and resources.
In Sweden, over 200 public meal organizations already track the climate impact of food purchases, using climate KPIs (e.g., kg CO2e/kg food) as an indicator. However, these organizations often need guidance in setting realistic climate goals. The Swedish National Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) and the industry association "Kost & Näring" have both identified a need for scientifically-grounded, target-specific guidelines for climate goals.
There are established climate impact levels for meals (e.g., kg CO2e/meal) through RISE’s climate scale and WWF's One Planet Plate initiative, but a gap exists in terms of climate goals for food purchases. Since most organizations already track climate impact at the food procurement level, it makes sense to establish KPIs for this stage. These KPIs will allow for a broader understanding of the full food consumption impact, including meals served at all times of the day (breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner), in contrast to existing meal-level climate goals which primarily focus on lunch/dinner.
Relevance to the mission
The project's potential for climate transition is especially significant in relation to the "protein shift" mission, and it will complement the mission "9 out of 10 meals consumed in Sweden by 2040 are within planetary boundaries." RISE is already involved in various projects aimed at promoting more climate-smart consumption, such as "Klimat 2030 - Västra Götaland Ställer Om" and the EU project Switch. This project will align with those initiatives, helping accelerate implementation and widespread use of the climate metrics.
Actors: RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) Agriculture and Food, the unit Sustainable production and consumption, Livsmedelsverket (Swedish Food Agency)
Idea and need
This project aims to develop and refine KPIs to assess and track the climate impact of food purchases within public meal organizations. While KPIs for climate impact at the meal level already exist, there is a need for similar indicators at the procurement level. By establishing such metrics, the project will help organizations set and track achievable climate goals. The project will also provide a methodology report that outlines how the KPIs can be used for monitoring and goal-setting. The project will build upon existing methods such as the RISE meal climate scale and WWF’s One Planet Plate initiative but will focus on supporting the procurement process to ensure broader impact. Additionally, the project seeks to harmonize these KPIs with the scientific foundation of nutritional recommendations, ensuring that they are aligned with public health goals while also minimizing climate impact.