Necessities of Life: Food, Clothing and Shelter Week
Nutrition & health solutions for 10 billion population
Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition
The programme, together with the General Sponsors, explores: 'How can we ensure that the 10B population can access and afford nutritious food produced within planetary boundaries?'
Recorded video available
Discussion
- Others
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | Provided |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Japanese and English |
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Agenda2025
Organised Programme
- Time and
Date of
the event -
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2025.06.16[Mon]
10:00 ～ 12:00
(Venue Open 09:30)
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- Venue
- Theme Weeks Studio
Programme details
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How can we provide nutritious food to a global population expected to exceed 10 billion – without breaching planetary limits? This dynamic session will tackle one of the most urgent and complex challenges of our time: transforming our food systems to deliver health, equity, and sustainability for all.
Drawing from global and Asian experiences, the session will unpack the root causes of today’s food system challenges – from food loss, waste, and ecosystem degradation to malnutrition and rising chronic disease. Panelists will explore the interlinked issues of unsustainable production, inequitable access, and unhealthy consumption patterns.
In a two-part discussion, we’ll first examine systemic barriers – such as climate impacts, supply chain disruptions, and lack of consumer awareness – before shifting to solutions. These include regenerative agriculture, dietary shifts, circular value chains, policy innovation, and tech-enabled consumer engagement.
Participants will hear real-world insights from business, civil society, and science, and learn about emerging innovations that are helping to reshape the future of food.
This is a must-attend session for anyone seeking to understand – and accelerate – the shift to a food system that works for people and planet alike.
Reports
＜Programme Summary＞
At Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the Theme Week initiative presents diverse approaches to global issues. During the 'Future of Food and Living Week,' the programme titled 'Nutrition & Health Solutions for 10 Billion Population' explored how to design a sustainable and inclusive food future amidst challenges such as population growth, climate change, and nutritional inequality. Participants from international organizations, food companies, academia, and civil society gathered to discuss broad topics including food system reform, the balance between nutrition and health, ensuring access to food, and the ethical and cultural dimensions of eating. A key focus was on redefining food not merely as a source of energy, but as central to human dignity, community formation, and harmonious living with nature.
＜Speaker Summary: Emeline Fellus＞
Emeline Fellus, Senior Director of Agriculture and Food at WBCSD, opened the session by raising critical questions about the future of food systems in a world of 10 billion people. She pointed out that the current global food system is reaching its limits environmentally, socially, and economically, highlighting the dual crises of climate change and nutritional disparity. Fellus emphasized the urgency of redesigning the system with sustainability, inclusiveness, and resilience at its core. She introduced WBCSD’s efforts to align global companies across the food value chain and create platforms involving farmers, consumers, and governments. Noting that 'transformation cannot be achieved alone,' she stressed the importance of collaboration and evidence-based policymaking to ensure transparency and trust. She concluded by underscoring that the future of sustainable food depends on the decisions and actions of every individual and expressed hope that this dialogue would spark new cross-sectoral partnerships.
＜Speaker Summary: Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted＞
Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, Director at CGIAR, highlighted strategies connecting science, policy, and on-the-ground practice to improve nutrition and sustainable food supply, especially in developing countries. She stressed the nutritional value of aquatic resources, especially small-scale fisheries and inland aquaculture, as essential to the health and livelihoods of communities in South Asia and Africa. Thilsted noted that fish, rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, are key to child development and women's health, but often underrepresented in policy frameworks. Her projects incorporate local women and farmers, promoting nutrient-rich fish breeding, simple cooking techniques, and inclusion in school meals. She emphasized that such actions support gender equity, education, and community resilience, advocating for a fusion of international science and traditional knowledge. She concluded by calling for global collaboration in reforming food systems centered on nutrition, emphasizing the need to respect diverse ingredients and food cultures.
＜Speaker Summary: Joao Campari＞
Joao Campari, Global Leader at WWF International, spoke about the urgent need for a transition to nature-based food systems. He noted the current system’s role in worsening climate change, biodiversity loss, and water depletion, as well as increasing malnutrition and health inequities. Campari stressed that the mass production-consumption model is no longer viable for a population nearing 10 billion and advocated for Nature-based Solutions (NbS). WWF promotes redesigning agricultural practices, sustainable fisheries, and zero-deforestation supply chains. He emphasized the necessity of policy reform and financial redesign, stating that the private sector is a solution partner, not a risk. He also highlighted the importance of consumer education, promoting plant-based diets, reducing food waste, and choosing seasonal and local foods. Campari concluded by encouraging hope through grassroots efforts and emphasized the global responsibility to future generations.
＜Speaker Summary: Kaori Ono＞
Kaori Ono, Executive Officer at AJINOMOTO, discussed corporate initiatives for achieving sustainable and healthy food. AJINOMOTO leverages amino science to address nutrition, reduce food loss, and lower environmental impact. Ono highlighted the triple burden of undernutrition, lifestyle diseases, and environmental strain, calling for a paradigm shift. The company visualizes regional nutrition data to develop tailored products, especially for Africa and Asia, addressing 'hidden hunger' by fortifying seasonings and instant foods. She emphasized balancing health with 'joy of eating,' where scientific flavor design improves eating behaviors. To reduce food loss, the company improves manufacturing, logistics, labeling, and consumer education. Ono concluded that sustainability is core to business and called for public-private and global collaboration, stating, 'Every meal contains the health of the Earth and its people.'
＜Discussion Summary＞
In the discussion session, panelists exchanged ideas on building sustainable food systems for a population of 10 billion. Moderator Fellus identified common challenges: multi-stakeholder collaboration, consumer awareness, and policy alignment. Campari emphasized institutional reform and financing mechanisms, while Ono stressed behavioral science in product design to influence consumer choices toward sustainability. Thilsted reiterated the need to refocus food systems on nutrition, especially by supporting aquatic resources and smallholder farmers. All panelists agreed on the critical role of education in promoting food and environmental literacy. Fellus concluded by noting that transformation requires both grassroots action and global policy, and that local innovations can drive global change. The session reaffirmed the importance of strategies and collaboration to simultaneously pursue health, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion through food.
Cast
Moderator
©WBCSD
Emeline Fellus
Senior Director, Agriculture and Food at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Emeline Fellus is Senior Director, Agriculture and Food at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). She leads the organisation’s agriculture and food pathway, which includes 60+ companies and nearly 30 team members. She is a member of WBCSD’s Extended Leadership Group, as well as a member of The Beans is How Board, Regen10’s High Level Advisory Group and the World Benchmarking Alliance’s Expert Review Committee.
Prior to joining WBCSD, Mrs Fellus worked with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform for 14 years. She helped build the organization, which grew from 3 founding companies to nearly 100 members when she left. In SAI Platform, Mrs Fellus endorsed several roles including Coordinator, Head of Learning and Implementation, and Deputy General Manager. During that time, she also supported Nestlé’s Sustainable Agriculture team in their water-specific strategy. Before then, Mrs Fellus worked for two years as Associate Economic Affairs Officer at the Economics and Trade Branch (ETB) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Emeline Fellus is an agronomist, with a major in natural resources’ economics and policies.
She also graduated from the Yale School of Management & ESADE Business School – WBCSD LEAP Sustainability Program, Executive Education.
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Speakers
Joao Campari
Global Leader Food and Agriculture Practice WWF International & Chair Action Track 3 UN Food Systems Summit
Joao is Global Leader of WWF's Food Practice, in charge of the Network´s efforts to enhance the sustainability of food systems worldwide. He leads a team that co-designs, with WWF's country offices and external partners, solutions that deliver nature-positive production, sustainable diets and reduction of food loss and food waste. Concurrently with his role at WWF, Joao has served as Chair of Action Track 3 of the UN Food Systems Summit, leading the Summit's work on nature-positive food production systems. Prior to WWF, Joao held the position of Special Environmental and Sustainability Advisor to Brazil´s Minister of Agriculture. Joao has held technical and executive positions in multilateral and bilateral agencies (World Bank, UNDP and DFID), in the federal government of Brazil (Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture) and has advised national and sub-national governments (in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay) on the design and implementation of regional development policies, combining socio-economic rural development with conservation. For thirteen years, Joao worked for The Nature Conservancy as Program Director in Latin America, Executive Director in Brazil and Lead Economist for the Global Lands program. Joao holds a bachelor´s degree in international relations and economics, a master’s degree in economics, a Ph.D. in environmental economics and has graduated from the General Management Program at the Harvard Business School. He has published two books on the economics of tropical deforestation and, in 2014, he was nominated among the top 100 Brazilian leaders in the agricultural sector for the disruptive work conducted on agriculture and conservation. Joao serves on the sustainability advisory and steering boards of NGOs, global agri-food platforms and companies, and the Global Futures Council on Food System Innovation of the World Economic Forum.
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Kaori Ono, PhD.
Executive Officer, General Manager, Sustainability Development Department, Corporate Division, AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
She has extensive experience in the fields of health and nutrition, particularly in physiological research and product development of amino acids, and is an expert in regulatory affairs of nutrition and food. She has been fond of trekking and cycling since she was a child, and has a strong passion for the global environment and issues related food and nutrition. After serving as the head of sustainability while stationed in Europe, she has devoted herself to the cause, and is currently energetically promoting the simultaneous creation of social value and economic value at the head office.
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Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted
Director for Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Area Platform, CGIAR
Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted is the Director for Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Area Platform, CGIAR. She was awarded the 2021 World Food Prize for her ground-breaking research and landmark innovations in developing holistic, nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquatic food systems. She was awarded the 2021 Arrell Global Food Innovation Award for research innovation. She is the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub. She was a member of the Steering Committee of the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and Vice Chair of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021: Action Track 4 - Advance Equitable Livelihoods. In 2022, Shakuntala was appointed co-chair of the EAT-Lancet 2.0 Commission. Shakuntala holds a PhD from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark. She holds Honorary Doctorates from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and The University of the West Indies.
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Necessities of Life: Food, Clothing and Shelter Week
Nutrition & health solutions for 10 billion population
The programme, together with the General Sponsors, explores: 'How can we ensure that the 10B population can access and afford nutritious food produced within planetary boundaries?'
-
2025.06.16[Mon]
10:00～12:00
(Venue Open 09:30)
- Theme Weeks Studio
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
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Necessities of Life: Food, Clothing and Shelter Week
