That’s it, I’m done! Finally, I completed the EdX course “Plant Based Diets: Food for a Sustainable Future”. As mentioned in an earlier post, I highly recommend it if you’re interested in food and health.
The final assignment was a bit tricky, the limit on the number of words presenting a challenge:
“Imagine you are now working for an NGO, government department, or for a company. (…). As a new employee, your first project is to formulate your own 500 word proposal about how this entity can address the 3 global challenges: environmental degradation and climate change, emerging zoonotic diseases, and chronic diseases. Briefly explain the 3 global challenges and how they affect your country or region.”
What Do You Think?
You can read my submission below. Apart from being curious about my grade I am also genuinely interested in your feedback and opinion: is it worth expanding on it, add facts, figures and examples? Should I send this as a proposal to Frans Timmermans and his staff?
Assignment Submission
Dear Frans Timmermans, EVP European Commission,
Today is my first day as an advisor for the EC working on your Green Deal. I am stoked to work on your plans such as “to enshrine the 2050 climate-neutrality target into EU law”, “to support those most affected by the ‘green’ transition” and the “‘Farm to Fork’ strategy for sustainable food…”
As an untainted newcomer I am honored to present an ambitious plan, the “Eat Green Protein Transition” to create a virtuous cycle: protect Europeans’ health and reduce healthcare costs, create an inspirational direction for the Common Agriculture Policy toward regenerative ecosystems, achieve the goals of the Paris climate agreement. The outcome: reverse climate change, reduce the risks of zoonotic diseases, drastically lower the human and financial costs of chronic diseases.
The EU protein transition plan is built on actions that work synergistically and must be coordinated by multiple EU commissioners under your leadership. The commissioners needed are those for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, for Health and Food Safety, for Agriculture and for Economy.
1: Educate consumers to adopt plant-based diets.
The plan is based on shifting consumer demand toward more plant-based products. We need to win the hearts and minds of European consumers and entice them to eat more vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. We must be taught that it is healthy to eat less or even no animal products. The plan is to develop and promote Europe-wide Dietary Guidelines akin to Canada’s. Financing vegan athletes and promoting their wins, for instance at Olympic Games, will create understanding that one can live healthily and achieve amazing feats on a plant-based diet.
2: Train medical professionals to prescribe food as medicine.
Universities need to change their programs and teach medical professionals how food can help fight the root causes of chronic diseases such as obesity, allergies, heart conditions, diabetes type 2 and many forms of cancer. This requires a promotion and education campaign targeted towards medical doctors practicing today. The costs of healthcare will eventually decrease drastically.
3: Finance the agricultural sector’s transition to plant-based organic produce.
We find vegetables from Africa, the Middle East and America in our shops. We can produce those in the EU! Let’s help our farmers find new income sources and reduce the carbon footprint of our plates. We must finance farmers in this transition. To reverse from monocultures and chemicals-filled production and produce organic crops will help regenerate our lands’ biodiversity. Stopping with large-scale animal factories will cut armful gas emissions and stop the creation of zoonic diseases.
4: Drive innovation to modernize our food systems.
Our food systems must adopt modern production methods and churn healthier products. European tax systems can be used to do so. Vertical farming technology helps reduce the number of kilometers between farms and consumers’ plates. Municipalities should be rewarded to embrace those. European manufacturers must be helped to fund their R&D efforts. The same applies for food companies who need to develop healthy alternatives to meat products.
Sincerely.
Proposal Summarized
Here’s a summary of the points layed out above:
As always, hoping you’ll find this interesting and keen to read / hear your feedback!