Summary
In this paper, published as a Brief Communication, researchers utilized a physical environmentally extended multiregional input-output (EEMRIO) model to assess the environmental impacts of transitioning from current national average diets to the EAT-Lancet’s plant-based planetary health diet in the European Union and the United Kingdom. They compared differences in saved crops, fertilizers, water consumption, carbon emissions, and carbon sequestration before and after the dietary change. The researchers concluded that adopting the EAT-Lancetdiet would save crops by reducing animal products and sugar consumption. This shift could compensate for most food export deficits from Ukraine and Russia, while also offering environmental benefits, improving resilience in agrifood systems, and mitigating agricultural land use. A limitation of the researchers’ methodology is their decision to exclude price effects due to using a physical input-output model. For example, changes in food prices can significantly influence consumer behavior and, consequently, impact dietary choices. Strengths of the article include the utilization of a physical EEMRIO model, enabling a comprehensive analysis of environmental impacts associated with dietary changes. The research article suggests that implementing the EAT-Lancet’s planetary health diet could substantially compensate for food production deficits from Russia and Ukraine while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and addressing food (inter)dependency challenges.
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