A comprehensive global scientific evaluation concludes that a radical transformation of the world’s food systems could prevent as many as 15 million premature deaths each year while dramatically cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change. The report, issued by the EAT-Lancet Commission, finds that the food we eat, and how we produce it, is the single most powerful lever to optimize human health and environmental sustainability on Earth.
The commission, a collective of dozens of international experts from more than 35 countries, warns that current global food systems are threatening both people and the planet. Unhealthy diets now pose a greater risk to mortality than unsafe sex, alcohol, drug, and tobacco use combined. At the same time, global food production is the largest single driver of environmental degradation, accounting for roughly a third of all greenhouse gas emissions and pushing the planet beyond its safe operating limits. The report argues that without immediate and concerted action, the world will fail to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate.
The Planetary Health Prescription
At the heart of the commission’s findings is a recommended dietary framework called the “planetary health diet.” This is not a rigid, one-size-fits-all plan but a flexible eating pattern designed to improve nutrition worldwide while reducing environmental harm. It can be adapted to different cultures, local tastes, and individual preferences, including vegetarian and vegan variations. The core recommendation is a substantial shift toward plant-based foods.
The diet calls for a doubling in the global consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. Conversely, it advises a significant reduction in other foods, particularly red meat and added sugars. While not strictly plant-based, it emphasizes that animal products should be consumed in modest amounts. The report notes that across all regions, diets consistently lack sufficient fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while in many nations they contain excessive meat, dairy, animal fats, and highly processed foods. This framework is designed to provide enough healthy food for an expected global population of 9.6 billion people by 2050 while operating within critical environmental limits.
A Crisis on a Global Scale
The report underscores the severe health consequences of the modern global diet. Researchers estimate that poor nutrition is linked to approximately one in five deaths worldwide, with the primary culprits being cardiovascular disease and cancer. The analysis found that unhealthy diets were responsible for 11 million deaths in 2017, making subpar nutrition a larger public health threat than smoking.
Drivers of Diet-Related Disease
A key driver of diet-related mortality is not just the high consumption of unhealthy foods, but the low intake of healthy ones. Globally, the largest single dietary risk factor for death is eating too much sodium, which contributes to high blood pressure and heart conditions. However, most of the top risk factors are related to not eating enough nutritious items, such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. This insight reframes much public health advice, suggesting an emphasis on adding nourishing foods is as critical as cutting out unhealthy ones. The diet recommended by the commission is shown to lower risks for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and several forms of cancer.
Food’s Environmental Footprint
The commission’s analysis presents a stark picture of agriculture’s impact on the planet. Food systems are responsible for approximately 30% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Without a transformation, emissions from food alone could be enough to push global temperatures beyond the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement, even if fossil fuel use were completely eliminated. The report finds that a global shift to the planetary health diet, combined with other systemic changes, could cut food-related emissions by more than half.
Breaching Planetary Boundaries
The environmental impact of food extends far beyond carbon emissions. Scientists have identified nine critical global processes, known as “planetary boundaries,” that regulate Earth’s stability and resilience. The world has already passed six of these nine boundaries, including those for climate, biodiversity, land use, and freshwater. Food systems are the single largest contributor to the transgression of five of these critical boundaries. Agriculture uses half of the world’s habitable land, accounts for 70% of freshwater withdrawals, and is the primary cause of biodiversity loss and water pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus.
Addressing Systemic Inequality
A major update in the commission’s latest work is a strengthened focus on justice and equity. The report highlights a profound global imbalance, noting that fewer than 1% of the world’s population currently lives in the “safe and just space” where human rights and nutritional needs are met within the planet’s environmental limits. While more than 820 million people lack sufficient food, the consumption patterns of the wealthiest nations drive a disproportionate share of the environmental damage.
The analysis reveals that the wealthiest 30% of the global population is responsible for more than 70% of the food system’s environmental impacts. This disparity means that the burdens of both climate change and malnutrition fall heaviest on the world’s poorest and most marginalized communities, who contribute the least to the problem. The report argues that any successful transformation must address this inequality to be truly sustainable and effective.
A Roadmap for Transformation
Achieving a healthy and sustainable food future requires more than simply changing what is on our plates. The commission outlines five core strategies to enable a global transformation. The first is securing international commitment to implement updated, healthy dietary guidelines.
Further strategies include the coordinated global governance of land and ocean use, which is critical to halt the conversion of natural ecosystems for agriculture. Agriculture itself must be reoriented to prioritize producing high-quality, nutritious food rather than simply maximizing volume. Finally, the report calls for concerted action to reduce food loss and waste by half. These strategies, when implemented together in packages, are expected to be far more effective than the sum of their individual parts.