„A BITE FOR THE HEALTHY PLANET“ - A BOTTOM LINE FOR A CLIMATE-FRIENDLY SOCIETY!

Previous research calls for an urgent and immediate transformation of the current food sector due to its contribution to the most pressing global challenges such as climate change (driven by natural resources depletion, biodiversity loss, emission of greenhouse gases, waste), poverty, and inequality (i.e hunger, malnutrition, obesity, and noncommunicable diseases). The deep transformation of the global food sector is impossible without changing current dietary patterns relying on energy(oil)-intensive, long, global supply chains and permanently increased consumption of highly processed food, meat, and dairy products. It requires a change of behavior underlying the importance of consumers' responsibility, ethics, and pro-environmental concerns to shape and adopt a climate-friendly lifestyle. So, the need to open up space for intensive social dialogue raising public understanding and awareness through information campaigns and appeals to environmental concerns, is evident. This research aims to shed light on BH consumers' attitudes, values, and beliefs regarding relationships between nature and humans, which are behind food-related habits and routines, as a step ahead in opening up a new space for social dialog and collaboration to facilitate dietary pattern change. The developed research instrument combines the most widely used method to test environmental attitudes and values (Dominant Social Paradigm vs New Ecological Paradigm) with food-related lifestyle measures. Data was obtained through an online consumer survey from September to October 2023, with collected 217 valid responses. The research results suggest that although BiH consumers share nature-centric values and respect nature, a lack of social dialogue and collaboration decreases their ability to recognize new areas for engagement and alter consumption patterns to benefit the environment. Therefore policy tools and instruments should be tailor-made, and context-sensitive to promote social dialog targeting the needs of different types of households, individuals, or groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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