Julian Lampietti, the World Bank’s manager for global engagement in the bank’s agriculture and food global practice, emphasized the urgent need to stop destroying the planet as we feed ourselves in a recent statement to POLITICO. This highlights the growing concern around the environmental impact of the agriculture and food industries.

As countries prepare to update their climate plans to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the World Bank is calling for more attention and funding to be directed towards these sectors. This comes at a crucial time when emissions cuts need to be accelerated to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The report underscores the necessity for countries to invest $260 billion annually in agriculture and food industries to effectively reduce emissions by 2050. This is a substantial increase from the current levels of investment and highlights the significant gap that needs to be addressed.

One of the key recommendations from the World Bank is to redirect subsidies for red meat and dairy products towards lower-carbon alternatives. This change could help wealthy countries reduce the demand for highly polluting foods and ultimately lower agri-food emissions.

By pricing climate impact into food costs, governments have the opportunity to drive positive change in the agriculture and food sectors. This shift towards more sustainable practices could play a crucial role in mitigating the environmental impact of food production and consumption.