Summary
Increasing food supply to meet the world’s demand can only be done if the food production, agricultural land area, and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation gaps are closed, and a global shift towards plant-based diets is a means of doing so. This report emphasizes the disproportionately high impact of animal agriculture in relation to the sum of all agricultures’ (i.e., animal and crop) impact. The report looks at units of food and protein consumed from plant versus animal sources and the consequent impacts of land-use and GHG emissions, aggregating data globally. Strengths include incorporating the intersections of food waste and security, along with potential models of what a sustainable consumer diet may look like. Limitations include the uncertainty of future projections and feedback loops that any given course of prescribed action may set off. Ultimately, a reduction in animal foods is a vital part of a sustainable diet.