Would YOU try the ‘planetary health diet’? Adopting a radical plant-heavy and meat-light lifestyle could help to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 17%, scientists claim

The summer holidays are usually the perfect opportunity to light up the BBQ. 

But rather than opting for sausages and burgers, scientists at the University of Birmingham say we should be choosing vegetable skewers.

In a new study, they claim that adopting the ‘planetary health diet’ – consisting mostly of fruits, vegetables, grains, plant-based protein and unsaturated oils – could help to save the planet.  

Unfortunately for meat lovers, this diet only includes very small amounts of dairy and ‘animal sourced protein’, like eggs, fish and meat.

If everyone in the world adopted the planetary health diet, food-related greenhouse gas emissions would fall 17 per cent, the researchers estimate. 

Unlike veganism or vegetarianism, the planetary health diet greatly reduces meat intake rather than eliminating it entirely 

Unlike veganism or vegetarianism, the planetary health diet greatly reduces meat intake rather than eliminating it entirely. 

Experts  suggest limiting intake of ‘animal-sourced protein’ (meat and fish) to 3.6 per cent of our overall food consumption.

Meanwhile, dairy intake is the same – 3.6 per cent – while the rest of the diet consists of whole grains (17 per cent), plant-sourced protein (such as tofu and nuts, 11.7 per cent), unsaturated plant oils (9.5 per cent), added sugars (3 per cent) and starchy vegetables (1.5 per cent). 

‘The current global annual dietary emissions would fall by 17 per cent with the worldwide adoption of the planetary health diet,’ the researchers say in their paper. 

‘[This would be] primarily attributed to shifts from red meat to legumes and nuts as major protein sources.’ 

For their study, the researchers studied data on household food consumption and food-related greenhouse gas emissions.  

According to the findings, 56.9 per cent of the global population is currently ‘overconsuming’ – meaning they’re eating too much meat and dairy. 

If this majority adopted the planetary health diet, 32.4 per cent of food-related greenhouse gas emissions would be eliminated. 

Overall, China (contributing 13.5 per cent of emissions) and India (8.9 per cent) are the largest contributors to global dietary emissions, because they are the world’s most populous countries. 

Experts suggest limiting intake of ‘animal-sourced protein’ (meat and fish) to 3.6 per cent of our overall food consumption. Dairy intake is the same (3.6 per cent) while the rest of the diet consists of whole grains (17 per cent), plant-sourced protein (11.7 per cent), unsaturated plant oils (9.5 per cent), added sugars (3 per cent) and starchy vegetables (1.5 per cent)

 Meat-heavy diets are fuelled by intensive livestock farming, which destroys habitats and generates greenhouse gases (file photo)

Scientists have long been vocal about the huge carbon footprint of humanity’s love for meat, fish and dairy, especially beef.

Animal agriculture contributes to global warming because of the methane, nitrous oxide and carbon emissions of livestock and their supply chains. 

What’s more, deforestation to make way for space to rear cattle reduces the amount of trees that absorb carbon dioxide.

‘The food system is responsible for about one-third of global anthropogenic [human-made] greenhouse gas emissions,’ the study authors warn.

‘Climate goals become unattainable without efforts to reduce food-related emissions.’ 

According to the team, currently the US, Australia and Western Europe (including the UK) are the heaviest meat consumers in the world.  

Meanwhile, countries such as India, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia are among the least avid meat consumers, instead opting for more grains or dairy. 

The US, Australia and Western Europe (including the UK) are the most avid meat consumers in the world. This graph shows percentage of foods making up the average diet in these places (meat in green)

India, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia are among the least avid meat consumers, the researchers reveal  

Unsurprisingly, poorer eastern countries have more of a focus on consuming grains such as rice and barely than developed countries that eat lots of meat. 

So, ‘not everyone’ in the world contributes equally to food-related greenhouse gas emissions, the researchers point out. 

The team acknowledge that many poorer countries cannot afford to make a widespread shift away from meat, so developed countries may have the biggest responsibility going forward. 

‘We should look to reduce over-consumption of emission-intensive products in affluent countries, such as beef in Australia and the US especially for wealthy consumer groups who are overconsuming,’ Dr Yuli Shan said.

‘This would help to achieve significant health and climate benefits.’ 

This map shows dietary greenhouse gas emissions around the world in 2019. Overall, China (contributing 13.5 per cent of emissions) and India (8.9 per cent) are the largest contributors to global dietary emissions, because they are the world’s most populous countries 

Introducing incentives, such as traffic light-style emissions labels and expanding the availability of less emission-intensive products such as vegetarian foods can encourage consumers to make dietary changes. 

Reducing greenhouse gases is crucial to prevent a climate disaster – although the food industry is of course just one of many emissions sources. 

Eventually, the planet will become too warm due to the greenhouse effect, leading to widespread heat exhaustion and death, coastal cities flooding due to meted ice at the poles and food shortage, they think. 

The study has been published today in the journal Nature Climate Change.