'India's food habits are good for Earth': WWF says replicating Indian diet would significantly reduce climate impact

PTC News Desk: World Wide Fund for Nature's (WWF) most recent Living Planet Report, which was released on Thursday, says that India's food consumption pattern is the most climate-friendly among G20 nations. 

The analysis emphasises that India's diet is the least hazardous to the environment, particularly given the worldwide requirement for food supply by 2050. If other countries followed India's consumption patterns, the world would need less than one Earth to meet food demands, making it a model for sustainability.

In contrast, countries such as Argentina, Australia, and the United States were shown to have the least sustainable patterns.

According to the report, if all nations adopted the G20 countries' consumption habits by 2050, food-related greenhouse gas emissions would surpass the 1.5°C climate target by 263%, requiring one to seven Earths to sustain food production. However, given India's dietary preferences, the world would require less than one Earth (0.84), which is much better than the established planetary boundary for food systems.

"If everyone in the world adopted the current food consumption patterns of the world's major economies by 2050, we would exceed the 1.5°C climate target for food-related greenhouse gas emissions by 263%, and it would take between one and seven Earths to support us," the report says, referring to India's Millet Mission.

Argentina's food consumption, on the other hand, would require 7.4 Earths, making it the worst of the countries surveyed, trailing only Australia and the United States. Meanwhile, Indonesia and China performed well, but India led the way with the most environmentally sustainable food system.

The research praised India's National Millet Campaign for promoting climate-resilient grains like millet, which are not only nutritious but also more adaptable to shifting climates. It recommended governments embrace more sustainable diets, recommending alternative proteins such as legumes, plant-based meats, and nutrient-dense algae to lessen the environmental effect of food production.

"In some nations, promoting traditional foods will be a key tool for shifting diets. For example, India's National Millet Campaign aims to boost national consumption of this ancient grain, which is beneficial to health and highly robust in the face of climate change," it says.

According to the report, local cultural traditions, individual choices, and food availability will all have a significant impact on achieving healthy and nutritious diets.

"Eating more sustainable diets would reduce the amount of land needed for food production. Grazing land, in particular, could be freed up for other purposes, including nature restoration and carbon sequestration."