The NewTools project aims to provide both producers and consumers with a greater understanding of the impact of the food we eat, its nutritional quality and its climate and environmental impact. Working with integrated indicators for the health and environmental aspects of food production and consumption, the project will support a shift towards a more sustainable food sector. Among other measures, two scoring systems for food will be developed: one providing scores for nutritional quality and one for the environmental impact of each individual food. The goal of NewTools is to define relevant and accurate indicators. In addition to being useful tools for consumers, they can be employed as guidelines in product development, the formulation of policy, purchasing schemes and more. The project will place a major emphasis on the food culture and production conditions that are specific to Norway, while at the same time striving to create a result that is flexible enough to be used internationally. In order to achieve this, it is important that the various actors within the food system are able to collaborate. The project is led by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Other participants include research bodies, representatives from the entire value chain – from land and fjord to the table - and dialogue partners. NORSUS will, together with NMBU and its partners, be developing a scoring system for environmental impact.
