Highlights

Coolfood is a World Resources Institute initiative that helps food providers use environmental and behavioral science to serve healthier, plant-rich meals. This technical note, and the accompanying Coolfood Calculator, help Coolfood Pledge members with the following:

  • Setting food-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets in line with the climate mitigation goals of the Paris Agreement. The original target focused on a collective 25 percent emissions reduction by 2030 relative to 2015, with individual members aiming for at least a 25 percent absolute reduction in food-related GHG emissions or a 38 percent relative reduction in emissions per calorie.
  • Advancing toward healthier and Paris-compliant dietary patterns by 2050. Members should aim for at least a 30 percent absolute reduction or a 40 percent relative reduction in emissions between 2025 and 2035.
  • Aiming for at least 6 percent of total food purchased by weight to be legumes, nuts, and seeds and at least 15 percent to be vegetables by 2035.
  • Tracking progress on food-related GHG emissions, land occupation, the carbon opportunity cost, water footprints, and normalized metrics associated with food purchases. Changes in the proportion of specific food groups purchased can also help track progress toward healthier dietary patterns.
  • Navigating co-benefits and trade-offs with other environmental, social and ethical, and financial sustainability goals.