What’s the planetary health diet that could save lives and the planet?

What we eat doesn’t just affect our health, it affects the whole planet.

A new report from the EAT-Lancet Commission shows that shifting to mostly plant-based diets could prevent millions of deaths every year and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from farming.

The study warns that without big changes to the global food system, even switching to cleaner energy won’t be enough to stop the worst effects of climate change.

“If we do not transition away from the unsustainable food path we’re on today, we will fail on the climate agenda. We will fail on the biodiversity agenda. We will fail on food security. We’ll fail on so many pathways,” said study co-author Johan Rockström, who leads the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Food is personal, but the choices we make at the dinner table could decide the future of the planet.

Here’s how

What is a planetary health diet?

The EAT-Lancet Commission first proposed the “planetary health diet” in 2019, centred on grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. The latest update keeps the same focus, while giving more detailed guidance on animal products.

To protect both health and the planet, people are advised to eat one serving each of animal protein and dairy per day, and limit red meat to about once a week. This recommendation is especially aimed at people in wealthier countries, who consume more meat and contribute disproportionately to climate change.

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The diet isn’t just about the environment. It’s based on reducing preventable health risks, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Rockström notes that while the findings may seem repetitive, the consistency is reassuring in a field full of evolving studies.

“Food is one of the most deeply personal choices a person can make, and the health component touches everyone’s heart,” he said.

Even small changes, like reducing meat intake without eliminating it entirely, can make a big difference. Emily Cassidy, a research associate with Project Drawdown, adds, “People associate what they eat with identity, and strict diets can scare people off. But even small changes help.”

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How food choices affect the planet

The study looks beyond greenhouse gases to include biodiversity, land use, water quality, and agricultural pollution. The findings are stark: global food systems are one of the biggest drivers pushing the planet toward dangerous limits for a livable environment.

“It’s like we’ve had this slow awakening to the role of food,” said Kathleen Merrigan, a professor of food systems at Arizona State University. She highlights that farming practices, consumption habits, and labour conditions are all interconnected and could be improved.

According to the report, changing diets worldwide could cut agricultural emissions by 15 per cent, while additional measures like reducing food waste and improving crop yields could increase the reduction to 20 per cent.

Cassidy points out that if high- and middle-income countries limited beef and lamb to one serving per week, the reduction in emissions could match Russia’s total annual emissions.

Also read: Plant based foods: Growing consciousness, health benefits are surging demands

Justice in an unequal world

The report also stresses that the global food system is deeply unequal.

Nearly half the world’s population lacks adequate food, a healthy environment, or decent working conditions. Vulnerable groups, including ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, women, children, and people in conflict zones, face particular risks.

With UN climate talks approaching, Rockström and other scientists hope governments will use these insights to shape policies. Ignoring the science, he warns, will make societies weaker, both in terms of food security and environmental stability.

“I mean both in terms of supply of food, but also in terms of health and in terms of stability of our environments,” he said. “And this is a recipe to make societies weaker and weaker.”

With inputs from AP