What is EAT–Lancet’s “Planetary Health Diet”?
Meat and Dairy Consumption Varies Around the World
A global shift towards a more plant–based diet would help reduce emissions, but it is worth bearing in mind that every country in the world eats differently. A country’s diet—and its resulting food emissions—can be based on many factors, including its cultural and religious beliefs, geography and economic status.
In 2019, a group of leading food and climate scientists came together to analyze how different countries around the world eat—and how this might need to change if the world is to reduce the climate impact of food. The project, which is known as the EAT–Lancet Commission, found the challenge of being able to feed about 10 billion people a diet that’s both healthy and sustainable by 2050 possible—but just barely. For the first part of the analysis, the commission analyzed the scientific literature in order to come up with a universal diet that would be healthy and sustainable for all.
The “Planetary Health Diet”
The “planetary health diet” is around half fruit and vegetables, with whole grains, unsaturated plant oils and plant–sourced proteins also playing a large role. The diet allows for around one portion of dairy a day and around one serving of meat a week. There is some room for flexibility, which is important because not everybody eats the same way.
For the second part of their analysis, they assessed how the dietary habits of different parts of the world would need to change to fit with their proposed planetary diet. How regional food intake compares with the EAT–Lancet’s “planetary health” diet is shown in videos below.
Global
The EAT–Lancet Commission finds that, at a global scale, consumption of red meat is currently much higher than what it considers to be healthy and sustainable. The proportion of meat in the global diet is currently around three times higher than recommended by the EAT–Lancet’s planetary health diet. The global consumption of eggs is also at a level that is considered to be neither healthy nor sustainable. By contrast, the world’s consumption of legumes (pulses and beans), whole grains and nuts is far below what is required for a healthy and sustainable diet.
North America
North America’s red meat consumption far exceeds that of any other world region—and is more than six times higher than the level recommended by the EAT–Lancet’s planetary health diet. North America also consumes more eggs, dairy and poultry than any other world region and would need to reduce intake of all these products in order to meet the requirements for a healthy and sustainable diet. By contrast, it ranks joint lowest in the world for consumption of whole grains, such as bulgur wheat, oatmeal and brown rice.
Europe and Central Asia
Europe and Central Asia rank second in the world for red meat consumption, exceeding the level needed for a healthy and sustainable diet by more than four times. The region also consumes an unsustainable amount of eggs, dairy and poultry—but to a lesser extent than North America. It is the world’s second largest fish and seafood consumer. The region ranks joint lowest in the world for consumption of whole grains alongside North America.
South Asia
South Asia currently ranks lowest in the world for red meat consumption and could sustainably have a diet made up of almost twice as much red meat, according to EAT–Lancet. It also eats the least poultry out of any world region. By contrast, it ranks second in the world for consumption of legumes (pulses and beans) and also ranks highly for the consumption of whole grains.
East Asia and Pacific
The East Asia and Pacific region is the world’s largest fish and seafood consumer, eating a higher proportion of these products than is considered sustainable by EAT–Lancet’s planetary health diet. The region also eats more red meat and eggs than is considered to be sustainable and healthy. If it were to meet the conditions of the planetary health diet, it would need to boost its dietary share of fruit, legumes, whole grains and nuts.
Sub–Saharan Africa
Sub–Saharan Africa eats the highest proportion of root vegetables such as potatoes, cassava and plantain. Economic limitations permitting, if it were to meet the EAT–Lancet’s requirements for a healthy and sustainable diet, it would need to reduce its reliance on these vegetables in favor of other fresh vegetables, whole grains and legumes. However, the proportion of red meat in sub–Saharan Africa’s average diet is considered to be sustainable and healthy.
Middle East and North Africa
Middle East and North Africa is the only region to meet the EAT–Lancet’s recommended vegetable intake. However, it would need to up its consumption of fruit, whole grains and nuts, and reduce its consumption of red meat, eggs and poultry, if it is to achieve what EAT–Lancet considers to be a fully sustainable and healthy diet.
Latin America and Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean rank third for red meat consumption, exceeding the level needed for a healthy and sustainable diet by a factor of four. The region also eats around four times the amount of root vegetables than is recommended for a healthy and sustainable diet by the EAT–Lancet. However, it ranks first in the world for the consumption of whole grains.
Sources:
Interactive: What is the climate impact of eating meat and dairy?
https://interactive.carbonbrief.org/what-is-the-climate-impact-of-eating-meat-and-dairy/
by Daisy Dunne, Published: 14/09/2020
Design credit: Tom Prater and Joe Goodman.
Video credit: Martin Harvey
Data Sources:
Poore & Nemecek (2018)
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6392/987
Heller & Keoleian (2018)
http://css.umich.edu/sites/default/files/publication/CSS18-10.pdf
Khan et al. (2019)
https://impossiblefoods.com/mission/lca-update-2019/