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Is this a planetary diet at all, or will it save the environment?

Homepage Articles Is this a planetary diet at all, or will it save the environment?

Is this a planetary diet at all, or will it save the environment?

Scientists at the EAT-Lancet Commission have developed a diet that is supposed to help save the environment, but is it enough? It turns out that the solution to this problem can be on our plates. Climate change is hard to deny -- the over-exploitation of the planet, the degradation of the soil, the cutting down of trees, or the use of water negatively affect the environment and human life.

Table of Contents

1. The planetary diet is the definition

All of this is to reduce the negative impact of food production on the planet. This diet is intended to feed the entire current and future population (estimated at 10 billion people by 2050). They have been trying to gather all the relevant information to make food nutritious and as climate-neutral as possible. Additionally, the researchers say their proposed changes could protect up to 11 million people from premature death. The planetary diet is a solution proposed by scientists at The EAT-Lancet Commission in response to disturbing reports about environmental change and global warming.

2. Diet and the environment

Human health and the state of the planet are interconnected and largely dependent on proper diet and proper food production. The planetary diet assumes that by applying its assumptions, the amount of food thrown away will decrease by 15%. Semba et al. 2020). Fresán et al., 2019). The modern food industry is largely consuming natural resources and contributing to climate change, water use or soil degradation. One of the major problems is also the widespread waste of food. According to scientists, changes can also have a positive impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in more than 100 countries (R.D. itself, it already supplies enough energy to meet the growing demand for greenhouse gases, increasing the demand for food and fuel consumption (R&D).

3. The modern diet is dangerous

Most modern dietary models are based on the so-called Western diet, which is mostly characterized by increased calorie intake, and is based on processed products and a large amount of red meat. This diet can lead to many civilization diseases that are chronic and shorten life and also reduce the quality of daily functioning. It is designed to not only protect the planet but also positively affect the health of people who consume it.

4. Does the planetary diet have any flaws?

According to them (H. The first allegation is the lack of focus in the report on humans. Opponents also point out that the data on the survival of 11 million people were given on the basis of abstract interpretations of three studies and not long-term actual observations made over several years, so they believe this to be a misunderstanding. However, given the results of the studies presented in this report and their benefits, it is worth considering whether the benefits of the planetary diet outweigh the benefits mentioned above.

5. The planetary diet as an element of the fight against climate change

The planetary diet developed by The EAT-Lancet Commission is based on the results of numerous studies and observations of the environmental impact of the food industry, which is why it is the appropriate change in the way we eat that can bring significant benefits to the planet. This solution allows not only to minimize the likelihood of civilization diseases, but also greenhouse gas emissions and the problem of global hunger. The global food production system is largely over-exploiting the environment, consuming large amounts of water, and jeopardizing the future safety of humanity. According to research, consumption is one of the strongest factors that can affect both human health and health, as well as the entire food system. However, this model itself is not only helping to reduce the impact of climate change, but is also contributing to a more sustainable way of protecting the planet from climate change.
Source

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EAT-Lancet Commission Summary Report, eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/ (15.11.2021).
Forouhi N.G., Unwin N., Global diet and health: old questions, fresh evidence, and new horizons, „The Lancet” 2019, 393(10184), 1916–1918.
Fresán U., Sabaté J., Vegetarian Diets: Planetary Health and Its Alignment with Human Health, „Advances in Nutrition” 2019, 10(4), 380–388.
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