Edinburgh commits to becoming a sustainable food city

Edinburgh has committed to putting food at the centre of its response to the climate emergency. 

By signing the International Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration, Edinburgh City Council have renewed their commitment to sustainable food policies and joined-up action, raising awareness of how people’s livelihoods, health and biodiversity are all connected. 

Launched by the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems and Nourish Scotland, the declaration highlights the vital role food plays in meeting the cities net-zero targets, as well as helping to reduce poverty, inequality and poor health. 

The Declaration aligns with Edinburgh’s existing net-zero commitments, which include:

• Developing and implementing integrated food policies and strategies as key tools in the fight against climate change. captured in Edinburgh’s first food growing strategy, ‘Growing Locally’ published in April 2021.
• Working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from urban and regional food systems in accordance with the Paris
• Agreement.
• Calling on national governments to establish supportive and enabling policy frameworks to enable city partners to take action on climate change at the pace and scale needed to tackle the climate emergency

The move follows on from the Council committing £130,000 to invest in expanding the provision of local food growing opportunities in the city earlier this year, along with a further £0.500 million to enhance Edinburgh’s parks, playparks, food growing and urban forests, with £4m of related capital investment.

Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, Cllr Adam McVey said: ‘Food systems currently account for a third of total global greenhouse gas emissions and, with COP26 being hosted in Scotland later this year, we have a unique opportunity as Scotland’s capital city to bring food systems reform to the forefront of the climate debate.

‘Edinburgh’s pioneering local integrated food policies and strategies are helping to reduce the city’s impact on the environment and encouraging biodiversity.

‘Through Growing Locally, our first ever food growing strategy, and our partnership with Edible Edinburgh, we’re already taking strides in increasing local food production and public awareness of the importance of sustainable food to our environment.

‘This reflects our wider commitment to securing a more sustainable future for our citizens through tackling the climate emergency and working with partners towards ensuring the city of Edinburgh becomes net zero by 2030.

‘We hope that signing the Declaration will help to highlight the importance of sustainable food to our environment, economy and communities across the city.’