Sustainability and Food: the importance of our dietary choices in tackling the climate crisis

Food production, transportation, packaging, storage, cooking, consumption and disposal is referred to as one of the largest contributors to anthropogenic climate change and has a vast array of social and health impacts. In this episode, host Professor Simon Kemp is joined by PhD researcher Molly Simmons to explore the sustainability impacts associated with the entire food system.  Sustainable diets can have lower environmental impacts, but also need to be culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and nutritionally adequate. In this episode, we discover the carbon emissions, freshwater withdrawal and biodiversity loss associated with a variety of food types, as well as understanding what steps need to be taken to achieve a truly sustainable diet. Key papers/websites mentioned in this episode: Clark et al. (2020) Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5 and 2 degree C climate change targets. PubMed 370(6517):705-708 - Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5° and 2°C climate change targets - PubMed (nih.gov) Crippa et al. (2021) Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions. Nature Food 198-209. - Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions | Nature Food Trends in UK meat consumption: Trends in UK meat consumption: analysis of data from years 1–11 (2008–09 to 2018–19) of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey rolling programme - The Lancet Planetary Health Willet et al. (2019) Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet 393(10170):447-492 - Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems - The Lancet World Population Prospects (2022) wpp2022_summary_of_results.pdf (un.org) Host: Prof Simon Kemp  Guest: Molly Simmons Editor: Sophie Green Follow us on instagram & X(Twitter): @meliorapodcast