Food systems are strongly impacted by climate change while, simultaneously, being one of its main root causes, contributing to at least 30% of CO2 emissions and driving the transgression of 5 out of 9 planetary boundaries. Furthermore, the current Global food system reenforces inequalities and contributes to unhealthy diets and lifestyles. Transformative change towards more sustainable, healthy and just food systems is therefore no longer optional but imperative. However, such a fundamental change process will necessarily imply trade-offs between different interests, global goals, and actor groups. These trade-offs should not be ignored but rather openly addressed and carefully negotiated through inclusive processes that strengthen resilience for whole systems. This session examines the complex trade-offs between productivity, inclusivity, health, and ecological sustainability in transforming global food systems. The discussion will count with representatives from different food system actors and address how inclusive processes for addressing these trade-offs can be designed and out in practice, what are challenges and ways forward. To sparkle the discussion, we will spotlight cases where resilience has worked “for the few” and how to reorient it toward shared prosperity. By confronting the social, political, and ecological costs of transition, the session aims to chart realistic, just, and enduring pathways for food system transformation.
