It's not only for health reasons that we are being told to eat less red meat. The climate and environment are under massive strain from our meat-heavy diet. There's still a long way to go when it comes to changing our food systems, new research shows. Potsdam, Germany (dpa) – Meat is murder – but not only of animals. Our dependence on environmentally unsustainable foods like red meat is driving a climate crisis that is claiming lives in floods, storms and other natural disasters made more likely by climate change, and the authors of a new study are calling on us to change. Global food production is responsible for around 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a damning new report by the EAT-Lancet Commission, accusing humanity of failing to address a critical issue in the climate crisis. Even if we manage to transition global energy away from fossil fuels, our current food systems will prevent us from limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the group warns. At the same time, the researchers note that while wealthy nations consume more than their share of carbon-intensive foods, billions of people lack access to healthy nutrition. "More than half of the world's population struggles to access healthy diets, leading to devastating consequences for public health, social equity, and the environment," the authors write. The commission, an international panel of experts established by the non-governmental organisation EAT and the journal The Lancet, aims to develop strategies for healthy human diets while protecting the planet. For a stable climate and healthy planet "Transforming food systems is a major ecological and social challenge, but it is a prerequisite for having a chance to return to a stable climate system and a healthy planet," says Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and co-chair of the EAT-Lancet Commission. "Our eating habits can save lives, drastically reduce emissions, slow biodiversity loss and contribute to greater equity." The report says that if humanity can shift to what's known as the Planetary Health Diet, we could save approximately 15 million lives annually that are prematurely ended by diet-related diseases. The diet closely resembles common nutritional recommendations: plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, along with three to four eggs per week, fish, poultry and only minimal meat from cattle, sheep and goats. Ruminants emit significant greenhouse gases The consumption of red meat not only poses a long-term cancer risk but also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. During digestion, animals like cows, sheep and deer produce large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. According to the report, 53% of non-CO2 greenhouse gases from agriculture come from ruminants. If people worldwide adopted healthier diets, emissions from the food sector could be reduced by 15%. Current eating habits, experts say, often lack fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and whole grains, while meat, dairy products, fats, sugar and highly processed foods are consumed in excess. The goal, the group says, is not a one-size-fits-all diet. The Planetary Health Diet is flexible and compatible with a wide variety of foods, cultures, dietary habits, traditions and individual preferences. However, significant changes would be required in how, where, and what food is produced. Some sectors would need to shrink — for example, red meat production would need to decrease by about one-third. Other areas, such as fruit, vegetable, and nut production, would need to expand by nearly two-thirds compared to 2020 production levels. Other proposed solutions include reducing food loss and waste along the supply chain and promoting agricultural practices that increase productivity while minimising environmental impacts. This includes less invasive soil cultivation methods compared to deep ploughing. A climate-neutral food system is theoretically possible Unprecedented investments and efforts in all these areas could potentially lead to a climate-neutral food system, the report states. The findings build on the analysis of a previous commission presented in 2019. Currently, food production is the single largest driver of exceeding planetary boundaries, which include not only climate change but also disruptions to the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and ocean acidification. "Obesity rates continue to rise globally, and the pressure exerted by food systems on planetary boundaries shows no signs of abating," the authors write. "The report provides the clearest guidance yet on how to feed a growing global population without exceeding the Earth's safe operating space as defined by planetary boundaries," says Rockström, lead author of thereport , published in October. The experts also highlight social aspects, calling for fair wages and safe working conditions for all food sector workers, as well as greater inclusion of small-scale farmers, Indigenous peoples, women and other often underrepresented groups in decision-making processes. The following information is not intended for publication dpa fm yyzz n1 zlw kll coh
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