New international assessments showcase where national climate plans succeed and fall short on food systems, with Kenya, Somalia, Switzerland and the UK leading the way while others lag.
LOS ANGELES — As countries prepare for COP30 in Belém, the Food Systems NDC Scorecard presents the first independent evaluation of how countries around the world integrate food systems into their climate strategies. Initial findings highlight a major opportunity: Many of the NDCs assessed focus on a narrow portion of the food system, missing crucial actions on food consumption, processing and waste — key levers for increasing ambition. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, demand-side measures such as dietary shifts and behavior change could reduce emissions by up to 8 gigatons of CO₂-equivalent per year by 2050 — comparable in scale to supply-side options like improved production practices. This underscores why climate action must extend beyond producers to include consumers and the wider food value chain.
The 2025 NDC synthesis report released this week by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat confirms the urgency of the moment, stating that “major acceleration is still needed in terms of delivering faster and deeper
emission reductions.” In a statement accompanying the report, UNFCCC executive secretary Simon Stiell emphasized that, while progress has been made, “we must urgently pick up the pace, at COP30 and every year thereafter.”
Among the 10 countries assessed in the Food Systems NDC Scorecard, Switzerland and Kenya stand out as strong examples. Switzerland’s NDC received a rating of “very strong,” integrating all stages of the food system and targeting both production emissions and a national shift toward healthier, lower-impact diets. This strategy aims to cut diet-related emissions by two-thirds over the next generation while advancing nutrition, health, biodiversity and climate justice.
Kenya’s NDC demonstrates how even low- and middle-income nations can adopt comprehensive approaches — addressing food loss and insecurity; supporting climate-resilient farming; and promoting synergies between food systems and health, social and sustainability objectives. Importantly, Kenya’s inclusive NDC development process accounts for vulnerable and marginalized groups.
In contrast, the scorecard’s assessment of Brazil’s and New Zealand’s NDCs highlights significant opportunities for improvement. Despite their substantial dietary impact, neither Brazil nor New Zealand has included policies to encourage shifts toward more sustainable and lower-impact dietary patterns in their NDCs. In addition, the scorecard assessments found that both countries’ NDCs contain high-risk maladaptative policies. For example, Brazil’s NDC includes plans to increase biofuel production as well as plans to slaughter an additional 5 million cattle from intensive-finishing operations, and New Zealand’s NDC includes a controversial approach to methane accounting that risks undermining the significance of net-zero targets and overlooking the importance of current methane emissions.
So far, eight evaluations have been published, including for the UAE, Belize and Somalia, and assessments for Singapore and the Marshall Islands will be published after COP30, expanding the analytic scope to diverse global contexts.
As we approach the summit in Belém, it is clear that COP30 must deliver a strong political response to the aggregate ambition of NDCs parties put forward, and this response must reflect the critical role of food systems in climate action. More ambitious and integrated approaches covering all stages of the food system will be necessary to align food systems with climate objectives. Approaches must include action to promote healthier and more sustainable dietary patterns and reduce food waste. This is an opportunity for elevating goals, reflecting different national contexts and accelerating action.
“These scorecard assessments tell a clear story — countries that fully integrate food systems into their climate plans can make real progress in climate ambition, health and equity,” said Amelia Linn, director of global policy at Mercy For Animals. “Switzerland and Kenya show us what’s possible. But many governments still overlook the transformative power of shifting diets, food loss reduction and holistic food system reform. COP30 must mark a turning point for integrated national action.”
“The time for half measures is over,” said Sebastian Osborn, global policy manager at Mercy For Animals. “This scorecard not only highlights where policies fall short but offers pathways for ambitious, inclusive progress. Food systems intersect with nearly all sustainability goals. COP30 is our moment to set a bold global course.”
The scorecard methodology reveals significant untapped potential to align health, sustainability and economic recovery with climate goals — provided countries adopt holistic, inclusive food system approaches. COP30 can and must be the moment when food systems become central to global climate strategy.
For full assessments and methodology, visit foodsystemsndcscorecard.org/assessments.
Meet the Experts: Media Invitation
Are you a journalist covering COP30? Join our experts Sebastian Osborn and Amelia Linn for exclusive interviews or Q&A sessions on global trends, assessment results and what’s needed for next-generation NDCs to truly accelerate climate solutions.
| Press Conference Mercy For Animals: The Food Systems NDC Scorecard |
| Monday, November 17, 2025, 9–9:30 a.m.Press Conference 2Area D |
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