EAT Lancet 2.0 Report

The EAT Lancet 2.0 update report is now out and reaffirms the calls for less meat and more plants made in the first report. Get ready for a slew of headlines driven by meat industry lobbyists aimed squarely at rubbishing the outcomes and keeping governments of all political leanings wary of setting national guidelines diet which accord with the report.   

Its therefore up to campaigning organisations such as the Vegetarian Society to make sure the key headlines from the report are shouted loud and clear from the rooftops! 

We’ve been reviewing the report and the headlines themselves are stark:

Food systems are the largest driver of transgressing planetary boundaries, even more than fossil fuels. Without reform, they alone could breach the 1.5°C climate target set by the Paris Agreement.

And in response, the updated Planetary Health Diet remains central – this being a plant-rich diet with only a moderate amount animal products, added sugars, and saturated fats. This is both nutritionally sound and environmentally sustainable. Of course, we’d prefer no animal products at all – but in terms of global and national policy making the EAT Lancet recommendations are a great foundation to build off.

Indeed, adopting the Planetary Health Diet could:

• Prevent up to 15 million premature deaths annually (27% of global total).
• Reduce risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, obesity, and depression.
• Cut antimicrobial use by 42%, helping combat resistance.
• Lower biocide contamination and nitrogen pollution in water.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2050. 

What is not to like!!

But of course the impacts of our diet are skewed – and driven by wealthier, developed nations. The report is clear – the richest 30% of the global population drive 70% of food-related climate costs, highlighting the need for equity in dietary transitions. 

And it is of no great surprise, given my opening remarks is that governments are largely absent in driving food system transformation. Meat industry influence via companies and lobbyists often undermines public interest and damps down any calls for stronger regulation and accountability.

In response – the EAT Lancet Commission calls for increasing collaboration across governments, businesses, civil society, and individuals to realign food systems in line with planetary boundaries, which will also improve public health and animal welfare. And it goes further specifically recommending shifting taxes to make unhealthy food more costly and healthy food cheaper, regulating the advertising of unhealthy food and using warning labels, and the shifting of today’s massive agricultural subsidies to healthier and more sustainable foods. Something the Vegetarian Society absolutey agrees with as outlined here https://vegsoc.org/what-we-do/policy-work/costing-carbon/

If you’re interested in the full EAT Lancet 2.0 report – you can read it in full here https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet/