WWF Residing Planet Report 2024: Sustainable diets would scale back land wanted for meals manufacturing, it states.
The World Huge Fund for Nature (WWF) has recognised India’s meals consumption sample as essentially the most climate-friendly amongst G20 nations, in keeping with its newest Living Planet Report, launched on Thursday. The report highlights that India’s eating regimen is the least dangerous to the atmosphere, particularly when contemplating the worldwide demand for meals manufacturing by 2050. If all international locations adopted India’s consumption patterns, the world would require lower than one Earth to maintain meals wants, making it a mannequin for sustainability.
In distinction, international locations like Argentina, Australia, and the US had been recognized as having the least sustainable sample.
The report notes that if all nations adopted the consumption patterns of G20 international locations by 2050, food-related greenhouse fuel emissions would exceed the 1.5°C local weather goal by 263%, requiring between one to seven Earths to maintain meals manufacturing. Nevertheless, with India’s dietary habits, the world would wish lower than one Earth (0.84), a determine even higher than the established planetary boundary for meals programs.
“If everybody on the planet adopted the present meals consumption patterns of the world’s main economies by 2050, we might exceed the 1.5°C local weather goal for food-related greenhouse fuel emissions by 263%, and it might take between one and 7 Earths to assist us,” the report states, referencing India’s Millet Mission.
Quite the opposite, Argentina’s meals consumption would require 7.4 Earths, the worst among the many international locations studied, adopted by Australia and the USA. In the meantime, nations like Indonesia and China additionally fared nicely, although India led the pack with essentially the most climate-friendly meals system.
The report praised India’s Nationwide Millet Marketing campaign for selling climate-resilient grains, similar to millets, which aren’t solely nutritious but in addition higher suited to a altering local weather. It urged nations to undertake extra sustainable diets, suggesting different proteins like legumes, plant-based meats, and nutrient-rich algae to scale back the environmental affect of meals manufacturing.
“In some international locations, selling conventional meals shall be an essential lever to shift diets. For instance, India’s Nationwide Millet Marketing campaign is designed to extend nationwide consumption of this historic grain, which is nice for well being and extremely resilient within the face of local weather change,” it states.
The report additional specifies that reaching wholesome and nutritious diets shall be closely influenced by native cultural traditions, particular person decisions, and accessible meals.
“Consuming extra sustainable diets would scale back the quantity of land wanted for meals manufacturing. Grazing land, specifically, may very well be freed up for different functions, together with nature restoration and carbon sequestration,” the report highlights.