The influence of nutrition on climate change
The influence of nutrition on climate change
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. In addition to industry and traffic, our diet is particularly concerned with the climate. Nutrition is an important, but often overlooked driver of climate change because it is one of the main sources for greenhouse gas emissions. A switch to more sustainable nutrition could help solve this problem.
The relationship between nutrition and climate change
Nutrition and greenhouse gas emissions
About a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the production and consumption of food. The main sources of these emissions are the deforestation and conversion of grassland into arable land, the release of methane due to digestive farm animals and the use of artificial fertilizers in agriculture.
According to a report by the World Climate (IPCC), animal products, especially beef and dairy products, contribute more to the greenhouse effect per calorie than vegetable food. This is because more resources are required for the production of meat and dairy products and more emissions are expelled than for the production of plant food.
Nutritional land usage changes and deforestation
Agricultural activities occupy around 50% of the world -free land area in the world. The production of animal food requires significantly more land than that of vegetable foods. Beef is particularly inefficient, since it takes more than 20 times as much land per calorie as potatoes or wheat.
Another aspect that illustrates the relationship between nutrition and climate change is the deforestation. In many parts of the world, rainforest is cut down to make room for pasture or soybean cultivation, the yields of which serve as food in the animal fattening. This deforestation not only adds direct damage to the ecosystem, but also leads to considerable carbon losses, since trees store carbon during their growth and release it during destruction.
sustainable nutrition as a solution approach
The advantages of a vegetable diet
Sustainable diet could make a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A vegetarian or vegan diet produces significantly fewer CO2 emissions than a meat-based.
That doesn't mean that we all have to become vegans immediately. Of course, it is important to pay attention to the personal nutrient requirement. However, minor adjustments such as the change of beef to chicken or the replacement of meat with vegetable protein sources can already have significant effects.
regional and seasonal consumption
Another aspect of a sustainable diet is to consume regional and seasonal food. The transport of food over long distances creates considerable CO2 emissions. Sea buckthorn berries from the home garden have a much lower CO2 balance than Kiwis from New Zealand.
The same applies to seasonal food. Tomatoes from the greenhouse in winter have a higher CO2 balance than those from outdoor cultivation in summer. Respecting the season and eating food when they are of course available, improves the ecological footprint of our diet. FAZIT
The connection between nutrition and climate change is a critical but often overlooked factor. The diet is responsible for a significant part of the global greenhouse gas emissions and contributes significantly to the design and changes in land use.
A sustainable diet based on a high proportion of vegetable foods and prefers regional and seasonal food can help reduce the effects on climate change. A first step can be to eat less meat, especially beef, and to enrich the diet with more ecologically sustainable foods.
By making conscious decisions about what we eat, we can not only promote our individual health, but also the health of the planet. Every meal counts!