Statement regarding relationship of WHO and EAT-Lancet following misrepresentation in the media

The EAT-Lancet Commission would like to note a recent misrepresentation in the media of its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO).

An article by the British Medical Journal, published 9 April, claimed that WHO had withdrawn its support for the Commission. The Commission has never sought to be, nor been sponsored or endorsed by, any intergovernmental agency, including WHO.

WHO has indicated that it considers “the EAT-Lancet Commission to be relevant to advance WHO’s work on healthy diets,” according to the same article.

The Commission, an independent scientific body of 37 scientists from 16 countries, published a peer-reviewed report in The Lancet in January 2019. The report explored measures to ensure that, in 2050, the global population would have access to healthy diets from sustainable food systems in alignment with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. A summary of the Commission’s full report is available through EAT.

A series of launch events related to the report have since been organized around the world. Some have been co-hosted by EAT with partner organizations, and others held by organizations apart from EAT and The Lancet. A WHO expert, who sits on the Commission in a personal capacity, participated in a launch event that was organized by EAT and the Government of Norway in Geneva on 28 March.

For more background information regarding the Geneva launch, we encourage you to read the EAT-Lancet Commission co-chairs’ response to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy press release.