Food for thought: creating a climate-friendly menu for the Scenarios Forum 2025

Food production accounts for around 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, transformative changes to the food we eat, how it is produced and where it is sourced, are essential for effective climate action.

Catering has therefore been at the heart of the Living Lab for the Scenarios Forum 2025. The initiative recognises the environmental and ethical importance of sustainable food by considering the production, supply chains, and consumption of food at the conference.

The higher education sector is a pioneer of promoting more sustainable catering approaches. One study reviewed 31 case studies where universities had introduced campaigns to reduce meat consumption between 2001 and 2021, finding they reduced the likelihood of consumers eating meat by 82%. The University of Leeds has been part of this transition to sustainable food choices, ensuring that vegan and vegetarian options are available in the Refectory food hall since 2019. Moreover, 65% of suppliers for the University of Leeds catering are within 40 miles of the University.

The Living Lab for the Scenarios Forum 2025 has provided an opportunity to expand this focus on sustainability in the University of Leeds catering, trialling how to maximise the sustainability and ethics of the catering provision at the conference. In addition to the bespoke menu approach, to reduce the event’s carbon footprint further, reusable water bottles and KeepCups are encouraged. Portable water fountains will be stationed across the conference to encourage this.

The Scenarios Forum 2025 menu has been designed to follow a set of sustainable  and ethical principles informed by the latest research on sustainable food, particularly the EAT-Lancet guidelines. Research aimed at the catering industry, such as the World Resources Institute’s The food service playbook for promoting sustainable food choices, also provided valuable steers on how to encourage more sustainable food choices among consumers.

Using this research as the foundation for the catering ethos of the conference, the Living Lab established this set of principles underpinning the catering at the Scenarios Forum 2025. These include following the EAT-Lancet guidelines, no ruminant meat, and fully tracing fish and meat supply chains. Where possible, these principles also promote the use of seasonal produce, locally sourced food, and minimising single-use plastics.

The Scenarios Forum 2025’s menu concept provides an innovative plant-based offer consisting of aspects from the current Conferencing menu, along with event exclusive dishes. This menu combines the sustainability goals of the University whilst embracing the climate-focussed ethos and the principles of the Living Lab.

Conference delegates’ perspectives on these menu choices are a central part of the Living Lab research. Surveys conducted during and after the conference will examine delegate’s food preferences, their suggestions for ethical and sustainable menu choices, and their opinions on our communication of the catering principles and food choices.

The Scenarios Forum 2025 has provided an important opportunity for internal collaboration about developing plant-based and sustainable food at the University. The learnings from this Living Lab will be shared across the Higher Education sector, intending to support the improved sustainability/plant-based options in catering across Higher Education conferences.

Register for the Forum on Scenarios for Climate and Societal Futures, held at the University of Leeds from 16 - 18 July. For more information about the conference and registration, visit the Scenarios Forum website.