Environment & Climate
Bhutan hosts five-day international summit on conscious food systems
Delegates from over 60 countries and the UN are gathering in Paro to address climate impacts and agricultural reform through mindfulness and regenerative practices.
The short version
- Bhutan is holding the world's first five-day "conscious food summit" in Paro, bringing together government officials, farmers, mindfulness experts, and UN delegates.
- The conference aims to address global food security issues caused by extreme weather, conflict, and biodiversity loss by combining policy and science with inner values and Indigenous knowledge.
- The World Food Programme has warned that an impending "super El Niño" could push up to 50 million people toward starvation across 2026 and 2027.
Key facts
- Bhutan is hosting a five-day summit in Paro with participants from more than 60 countries and the United Nations.[The Guardian]
- Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay stated that reforming food systems requires addressing both external policies and internal values, emphasizing regenerative agricultural practices.[The Guardian]
- The World Food Programme warned that an anticipated super El Niño could threaten 50 million people with near-starvation.[The Guardian]
- Recent climate-related disasters near Bhutan include a glacial collapse in Nepal that triggered deadly floods and landslides.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- The extent to which promoting individual mindfulness and spiritual approaches can produce measurable policy or market changes in global food systems remains unclear.[The Guardian]
Sources
- Bhutan hosts first ‘conscious food summit’ amid threats to global suppliesThe Guardian - World