Support of VET in gastronomic sector towards CO2 neutral kitchen

The effects of climate change are visible around the world, and it is projected to become even more frequent and intense in the coming decades. Agricultural production and food preparation account for 26% of total global CO2 emissions in the world. Both Slovenia and Croatia have adopted their recent low-carbon growth strategies and have committed to reducing CO2 emissions and halting climate change, but there is not enough information and education regarding the possibility of reducing CO2 emissions related to the production, preparation and serving of food. Also, the general public is not very informed about the consequences of their food choices. Given the number of vocational schools related to tourism and catering (30 in Slovenia and 96 in Croatia), the number of catering businesses (about 4000 in Slovenia and 5500 in Croatia) and the attention of the wider public related to nutrition and healthy living, this project had a visible contribution to the increase of knowledge about climate change both to professionals and to the general interested public, thus contributing to the achievement of the goals of the European Green Plan - by 2050 Europe should be a climate-neutral continent.

The main objective of the project was to develop and implement VET educational program for students and teachers on climate change and CO2 emissions, to increase the knowledge of the catering/gastronomic sector and awareness of climate change, business greening opportunities and reduced CO2 emissions as well as to make the gastro sector and wider general public aware of climate change and implications for climate change and CO2 emissions resulting from the production and preparation of food and our food choices. In this way, all target groups (VET students, teachers, restaurants’ managers and the general public) were informed on the small steps that can contribute to the reduction of climate change. In particular, attention was focused on the gastronomic sector - VET education in that area, as well as business entities - restaurants, etc. who already have orientations towards zero waste practices, and who can proceed the message to the general public about the possibilities of reducing CO2 through the choice of dishes – groceries and methods of meal preparation in everyday life.