Climate and carbon policy pathways for sustainable food systems

Context & background: The global food system significantly contributes to climate change through carbon emissions. This article examines how policy interventions influence food affordability and supply, with a particular focus on climate change and dietary patterns. Scope & motivation: Analyzing 122 articles on the agricultural supply chain, it explores strategies to address affordability and supply challenges. Rising global temperatures threaten food stability, highlighting the importance of agricultural policies in lowering production costs and improving farmer resilience and motivation to ensure a more sustainable and secure food system. Major findings with hypothesis, methods & results: Climate change manifests diverse effects, including food security in regions less reliant on agriculture, with rainfall patterns being significant in northern and central areas. The food production process, a significant contributor to the industry's carbon emissions, exacerbates global warming. Thus, minimizing this carbon footprint is imperative for achieving sustainable development goals. The transition towards low-carbon footprint food is influencing environmental, economic, and policy dimensions. Achieving a low-carbon future in food production and consumption requires a comprehensive approach. Conclusion: Food choices significantly impact the environmental footprint of the food system, intertwining with climate change, land use, and dietary habits. Effective mitigation policies are crucial for future economic prosperity. Sustainable diets emerge as a critical global issue in the 21st century, with excess production of high-energy foods juxtaposed with insufficient output of fruits and vegetables. Despite these challenges, global agriculture can meet the current world population's dietary needs with its existing production capacity.