Food choices key to tackling global warming

Food choices key to tackling global warming

Subject: Environment

Section: Agriculture

Context: Food consumption in the five highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting countries, China, India, Indonesia, Brazil and the US, were responsible for more than 40% of global food chain emission in 2019, according to a study.

Content:

Reasons for Global Warming:

• Agri food system contributes to around one third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas. 
• Population growth, expansion of food production and an increase in animal-based diets are likely to further increase emissions and squeeze the global carbon budget.
• The largest emission within food supply chains is triggered by beef (32%) and dairy consumption (46%) in rapidly developing countries, such as China and India, while emissions per head in developed countries with a high percentage of animal-based food declined.
• Consumption of grains and oil crops is responsible for 43 and 23 per cent of global plant-based emissions respectively, while rice contributes to over half of the global grain related emissions, with Indonesia, China, and India being the top three contributors.

Ways to solve:

• A global shift in diets, including reducing excessive intake of red meat and improving shares of plant-based protein— will not only reduce emissions but avoid health risks such as obesity and cardiovascular disease.
• Incentives that encourage consumers to reduce red meat or buy products with higher environmental dividends could help to reduce food emissions.