‘Planetary health diet’ aims to feed 10 billion people without causing ‘catastrophic’ environmental damage

A diet has been developed that promises to save lives, feed 10 billion people and all without causing catastrophic damage to the planet.

Scientists have been trying to figure out how we are going to feed billions more people in the decades to come. Their answer – “the planetary health diet” – does not completely banish meat and dairy. But it is recommending we get most of our protein from nuts and legumes….Their diet needs an enormous shift in what we pile on to our plates and for us to turn to foods that we barely eat.

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Who came up with this?

A group of 37 scientists from around the world were brought together as part of the EAT-Lancet commission….They took two years to come up with their findings which have been published in the Lancet.

Why do we need a diet for 10 billion people?

The world population reached seven billion in 2011 and it’s now around 7.7 billion. That figure is expected to reach 10 billion around 2050 and will keep on climbing.

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The researchers’ aim was to feed more people while:

• minimising greenhouse gas emissions
• preventing any species going extinct
• having no expansion of farmland, and
• preserving water

However, just changing diets is nowhere near enough. [The plan] also requires a halving of food waste and an increase in the amount of food produced on current farmland.

Read full, original article: A bit of meat, a lot of veg – the flexitarian diet to feed 10bn