The Way Indians Eat Is Good For Climate, Says WWF Report, Explains How

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has recognised India's food consumption pattern as the most climate-friendly among G20 nations, according to its latest Living Planet Report, released on Thursday. The report highlights that India's diet is the least harmful to the environment, especially when considering the global demand for food production by 2050. If all countries adopted India's consumption patterns, the world would require less than one Earth to sustain food needs, making it a model for sustainability.

In contrast, countries like Argentina, Australia, and the United States were identified as having the least sustainable pattern.

The report notes that if all nations adopted the consumption patterns of G20 countries by 2050, food-related greenhouse gas emissions would exceed the 1.5°C climate target by 263%, requiring between one to seven Earths to sustain food production. However, with India's dietary habits, the world would need less than one Earth (0.84), a figure even 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 states, referencing India's Millet Mission.

On the contrary, Argentina's food consumption would require 7.4 Earths, the worst among the countries studied, followed by Australia and the USA. Meanwhile, nations like Indonesia and China also fared well, though India led the pack with the most climate-friendly food system.

The report praised India's National Millet Campaign for promoting climate-resilient grains, such as millets, which are not only nutritious but also better suited to a changing climate. It urged nations to adopt more sustainable diets, suggesting alternative proteins like legumes, plant-based meats, and nutrient-rich algae to reduce the environmental impact of food production.

"In some countries, promoting traditional foods will be an important lever to shift diets. For example, India's National Millet Campaign is designed to increase national consumption of this ancient grain, which is good for health and highly resilient in the face of climate change," it states.

The report further specifies that achieving healthy and nutritious diets will be heavily influenced by local cultural traditions, individual choices, and available food.

"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," the report highlights.