Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change

TLDR

The food system contributes over a quarter of global greenhouse‑gas emissions, and unhealthy diets and obesity are major drivers of premature death. The study compares the health and climate benefits of dietary changes across major world regions, showing that lower animal‑food consumption yields larger benefits. Lower animal‑food consumption increases both health and climate benefits; three‑quarters of the benefits occur in developing countries, but per‑capita gains are greatest in developed ones, and monetized health gains may equal or exceed the avoided climate‑damage benefits.

Abstract

Significance The food system is responsible for more than a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions while unhealthy diets and high body weight are among the greatest contributors to premature mortality. Our study provides a comparative analysis of the health and climate change benefits of global dietary changes for all major world regions. We project that health and climate change benefits will both be greater the lower the fraction of animal-sourced foods in our diets. Three quarters of all benefits occur in developing countries although the per capita impacts of dietary change would be greatest in developed countries. The monetized value of health improvements could be comparable with, and possibly larger than, the environmental benefits of the avoided damages from climate change.