FESPB is a founding member of the Global Plant Council that has been formed as part of an historic summit of major Plant Biology Societies from around the world.

Climate change, expanding urbanisation and shifting dietary preferences will have profound and long–term impacts on food security, not only for developing countries but for the developed world as well. At present, more than 1 billion people are malnourished and 2 billion lack food security. It is clear that plants play and will play a pivotal role now and in the future. Unless we achieve a major increase in food production, the situation will worsen as the world population continues to grow.

Recognising the challenges ahead, twenty-one scientists representing 13 major Plant Biology Societies from around the world met in Honolulu (USA) on 15 and 16 July 2009 at a summit organised by the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB). FESPB was represented at this first meeting by Prof. Christine Foyer.  From their discussions it emerged that plant research can present solutions to world hunger, energy, climate change, health and wellbeing, sustainability, and environmental protection.

The mission of the Global Plant Council will be to define and engage in coordinated strategies to address the critical issues and to increase awareness of the central role of plant science in their resolution. The shared vision and unified effort of plant scientists from all regions of the world will enable the most effective use of knowledge and resources to tackle the major challenges of food security and human health confronting all nations in the 21st Century.