Nutrition and Climate Change
While their causal relationship is not frequently discussed, malnutrition, climate change, and poverty are all connected at the global level:
- World population is expected to exceed 10 billion people by 2050
- Currently, 1/6 American adults have one or more chronic diet related disease
- Almost 40% of American adults are obese
- More than 820 million people worldwide have insufficient food
- Diet-related conditions cost an estimated $2 trillion in direct health care costs and lost economic productivity, globally.
- Current food production is responsible for up to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions
- More than 40% of global land is used for agriculture
Questions you should ask candidates about the intersection of Nutrition and Climate Change include:
- What specific measures will you take to ensure our future population has access to a diet that is both healthy and environmentally sustainable?
- What role do you see the United States taking internationally to create a healthier and more sustainable food system?
- How do you get politicians and the public to buy into dietary shifts away from foods harmful to themselves and the planet?
Sustainability and Food Security
Many Americans are struggling with conditions related to poor diet as a result of their inability to afford the food their bodies need. Sustainably produced food too is more expensive than the foods that have unfortunately become staples of the American diet.
- 12% of people are food insecure
- 9% of Americans are SNAP recipients
- SNAP clients — about 45 percent — limited food consumption, usually by skipping meals, to make it through the month.
Questions you should ask candidates about the intersection of sustainability and food security are:
- What actions will you Administration take to ensure that no Americans need to settle for food that is bad for them or bad for the planet?