Planetary Diet: Shift to Plant-Based Foods Could Slash Global Emissions
A comprehensive study, the Planetary Diet, suggests significant changes in global eating habits to mitigate climate change. The report, authorship unknown, highlights the environmental impact of our food choices. High-income regions, with diets rich in animal products, emit more greenhouse gases per capita than those with plant-based diets.
The Planetary Diet, or EAT-Lancet diet, promotes a flexible, sustainable eating plan centered around plant-based foods and reduced consumption of animal products and added sugars. This shift could decrease global emissions by 17%, more than double the annual emissions of the European Union. However, affordability is a barrier, with over 1.58 billion people worldwide unable to afford this diet, particularly in low-income countries.
Policies must address these disparities. High-income countries could reduce demand for high-emission foods like red meat and dairy through taxes. Meanwhile, low-income countries need targeted policies and innovations to boost productivity of nutrient-rich crops.
The Planetary Diet offers a path to reduce our environmental impact, but affordability and policy interventions are crucial. If widely adopted, it could significantly decrease global emissions, though impacts may vary by region.
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