Pitching for Climate Action at the UN: The Research and Partnerships Behind Our Project

-Written by Chiara Gericke, Ana Vadeanu & Martina Rotolo.

In August 2025, we took part in the Universities for Goal 13 competition organised by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). The competition aims to inspire practical, impactful solutions to address the climate crisis. We pitched our idea to a panel of UN judges in the semi-finals and were one of only eight teams selected for the final round.

For the final stage, we created a video that put our science communication skills to the test. We also secured funding to travel to New York to present our solution during the United Nations High-Level General Assembly week, which gave us the chance to attend and participate in high level meetings.

Although we did not win in the end, the experience was invaluable. It offered an incredible opportunity to connect with key stakeholders driving climate action and to contribute to global climate discussions.

Below is our final submission, along with our thought process and our proposed solution to improve access to locally grown, fresh produce.

Community-based Solutions for Fresh Food in Food Deserts

Food is central to our lives - but the way we produce, distribute, and consume it is also one of the biggest drivers of climate change, biodiversity loss, and poor health outcomes. Ultra-processed foods, which make up a growing share of diets in the UK, are energy-intensive to produce and package, and are often linked to diet-related diseases.

The UN defines sustainable diets as those that are healthy, culturally appropriate, and have low environmental impact. Fresh fruit, vegetables, and locally grown foods are clear examples - yet for many households, these are the hardest foods to access.

The Challenge

Food insecurity isn’t just about whether a supermarket is nearby. Households face multiple overlapping barriers to eating fresh produce:

Some of the biggest barriers include:

• Cost: fresh food is often more expensive per calorie than ultra-processed alternatives.

• Time: preparing meals from scratch requires time and energy that many people simply don’t have.

• Storage and equipment: small kitchens, limited fridge space, and rising fuel costs make storing and cooking fresh food harder.

  
  

These realities mean that in many (urban) areas, particularly those facing high deprivation, diets become dominated by ultra-processed foods.

Our Approach

Our project doesn’t claim to solve every aspect of the challenge. Instead, we’re focusing on one piece of the puzzle: Barrier #7 - local access.

By repurposing underused urban spaces - such as community centres, schools, or micro-fulfilment hubs - we can create neighbourhood-level food access points. These spaces often already have the essentials (refrigeration, hygiene certification) and are located where they’re needed most.

We’re building partnerships between residents, local growers, and grassroots food groups to supply these hubs with affordable, sustainable produce. The idea is simple: make healthy, fresh food just as visible, accessible and affordable as ultra processed foods.

Partnerships and Groundwork

Over the past year, we’ve been working closely with:

• Local co-ops and food hubs that bulk-buy from regional farms.

• WEN and Tower Hamlets Food Partnership, organisations advocating for fairer food systems.

• Charitable bodies, pioneering ways to connect growers with urban communities.

• Policy makers in Newham, who are helping us shape the pilot to reflect real local needs.

These partnerships ensure that our solution builds on existing initiatives rather than duplicating them, while also responding directly to community priorities.

What’s Next

We’ll pilot our model in the London Borough of Newham - which has some of the highest densities of fast-food outlets in London, alongside high levels of food insecurity. From there, our aim is to scale and adapt the approach to other cities, working alongside councils, grassroots organisations, and local growers.

With further funding, we also want to address some of the wider issues linked to food insecurity. Education is a key part of this: we plan to partner with schools already running initiatives that help children learn where their food comes from and involve them in the growing process. By turning parts of school grounds into small vegetable patches, children can get hands-on experience in growing, cooking, and sharing fresh produce.

This isn’t just about food. It’s about tackling climate change, improving health, creating fairer local economies, and empowering communities. By reconnecting people with sustainable, affordable produce - and equipping young people with knowledge and skills - we can start to shift the food system from the ground up.

Get Involved

If you’d like to learn more about this project or explore ways to get involved, please reach out. This project was developed for the Universities for Goal 13 Project 2025 in collaboration with the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and discussed at their High-Level Meeting during the United Nations General Assembly.

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