To mark the conclusion of the 30^th UN Climate Change COP in Brazil, our next coffee morning will look at the food system and its impact, not just on carbon emissions, but on almost every aspect of our lives. We want to understand how it works and what we, as Compass people, can do to resist the almost intolerable pressures.

The discussions around what to do reach across many areas: from the political power of the farm and business lobbies to rapid climate change and other environmental impacts; from startling new technologies to the major equity issues involved; not to speak of the cultural contexts around food including the resistance of some consumers to change. One thing for sure, major changes are coming.

We have three great speakers to help us explore different aspects of the issue. We intend that Stuart Gillespie sets the international and national context, Ali Ghanimi tells us how the Brighton and Hove Food Strategy is engaging locally while Ben Simanowitz gives us some inspirational project level detail.

We will learn about what Brighton and Hove institutions, including the Council, and us as citizens (and Compass members) can do to take action. As Stuart writes in his book: “We need to amplify and harness the growing social and political will and use it to propel us forward. In the face of a food system controlled by powerful transnationals making mega-profits from unhealthy food, we must insist our governments show vision and leadership. And we must get organised.”