Healthier diets could slash farming emissions by 85% by 2050, study finds

A global shift towards healthier diets, more efficient farming and reduced food waste could cut greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture-related land-use change by 85% by 2050, according to a study published last week in the journal Nature.

Shift towards plant-based foods

The analysis found that adopting healthier diets would reduce demand for livestock production, freeing up agricultural land and reshaping food production worldwide.

Global farmland could shrink by up to 6% compared with current trends, while the value of livestock production could fall by 42% from 2020 levels.

The value of fruit, vegetable, nut and legume production could increase by 57%, reflecting a global shift towards more plant-based foods, the study said.

The researchers modelled a global transformation of the food system based on the recommendations of the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission, which pr

Economic impact and challenges

The study said the transition could improve public health but would also bring significant economic changes to agriculture, with impacts varying across regions.

It noted that the findings assume consumers adopt healthier diets and do not fully account for the economic, cultural or practical barriers that could slow such a shift.

Read more:

• Central Asia food shortages deepen as climate and water pressures intensify
• WHO warns of growing health threat as extreme heat grips Central Asia
• Cities warned water inequality threatens health and stability ahead of 2026 UN conference

Tags

food security Sustainable Agriculture Global Food System agriculture Public Health