Food systems are at the heart of the nutrition-environment nexus. Access to adequate food is a fundamental human right, but food insecurity and malnutrition remain critical problems around the globe. There is increasing evidence that the triple planetary crisis is exacerbating the situation, with the most vulnerable disproportionately affected. Furthermore, various factors are fueling a transition to diets that tend to have low nutritional quality and high environmental footprints.

UN-Nutrition, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica, the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, ICLEI, Rikolto and RUAF-Hivos have teamed up to co-organize this virtual event, held at the margins of the 4th Global Conference of One Planet network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme. This side event will launch the discussion paper, Nutrition and the environment − Nurturing people, protecting the planet, developed under the umbrella of UN-Nutrition thanks to the UNEP and other Member Agencies. The event will highlight the paper’s key messages and also be an opportunity to hear from different cities and regions around the world about the actions they are taking and how they are yielding co-benefits for nutrition and the environment. With a mix of speakers from government, the United Nations and civil society, the event will incite a dynamic discussion about the way forward.