70% food-related emissions come from richest 30%, shows new study

A change in global diets could cut emissions from food systems by more than half, the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy, sustainable, and just food systems has said.

- Jayashree Nandi

Such emissions account for roughly 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions globally. And much like in the case of energy, it is the rich countries that are to blame. The wealthiest 30% of people drive more than 70% of food-related environmental impacts, the Commission has found.

Emissions from food systems are typically glossed over but according to leading international experts in nutrition, climate, economics, health, social sciences and agriculture from more than 35 countries across six continents, even with a complete global transition away from fossil fuels, current food systems could still push temperatures beyond 1.5 degrees C over pre-industrial levels. This is due to a nexus of issues related to food production and consumption, they added.

Food systems generate 16-17.7 GtCO2e/year (gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, the unit for measuring greenhouse gas emissions), about 30% of global emissions. A third is from agriculture, a third from land conversion, and a third from food supply chains (processing, transport and retail).

According to the Food System Economics Commission (FSEC) reshaping food systems could deliver returns of $5 trillion a year through better health, restored ecosystems, and climate resilience - more than ten times the $200-500 billion investment needed to drive food systems change. Yet the negative externalities are estimated at $15 trillion, with the health sector bearing the brunt, the authors have warned.