A plan for global nutrition and sustainability
By 2050, every person could have access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food while reducing environmental harm. The 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems outlines how a “planetary health diet” could achieve this goal.
The report finds that combining this diet with sustainable farming and less food waste could feed 9.6 billion people fairly. Experts from over 35 countries contributed, showing that global food-related emissions could fall by more than half if nations act together.
Currently, around 30% of greenhouse gases come from producing, processing, and transporting food. Most of the rest comes from fossil fuel use and forest conversion to farmland.
The components of the planetary health diet
The diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. It allows moderate meat and dairy while limiting added sugar, salt, and saturated fat. “This diet supports both people and the planet,” said Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University.
He recommends one daily serving of dairy and one serving of animal protein, such as fish, poultry, or eggs. Red meat, including beef and pork, should be limited to one 4-ounce serving per week. “It’s flexible and balanced,” Willett said. “It resembles the Mediterranean diet in both variety and approach.”
Beyond eating: systemic change
Johan Rockström, co-chair of the commission and director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said dietary changes alone are not enough. “We also need to reduce food waste and adopt sustainable land, water, and ecosystem management,” he said. “Healthy food must be affordable and accessible to all.”
Opposition from industry and misinformation
The first EAT-Lancet report in 2019 predicted that global adoption of the planetary health diet could prevent 11.6 million premature deaths annually. The 2025 update now estimates 15 million lives could be saved each year. In the United States, about 31% of premature adult deaths could be prevented.
Transforming the food system could save $5 trillion per year by lowering health costs, restoring ecosystems, and slowing climate change. The necessary investment — $200 to $500 billion — is a fraction of the potential gains.
Industry resistance remains strong. In 2019, campaigns like #YestoMeat spread misinformation about the report. “We are seeing similar tactics again,” Rockström said. “It’s part of a broader pattern of climate denial.”
Willett added that movements like “Make America Healthy Again,” led by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., promote meat-heavy diets while downplaying livestock’s climate impact. “Our report is based on independent, global science,” he said.
The consequences of inaction
If current practices continue, agricultural emissions could rise by 33% by 2050. Nearly 70% of ecosystems have already lost more than half their natural areas, mostly to farming.
The planetary health diet could reduce food-related emissions by 60% compared with 2020 levels. Cattle numbers would fall by 26%, freeing 11% of grazing land. “This could stop deforestation in the Amazon,” Willett said.
Meanwhile, aquatic food production could rise by 46%. Vegetable output could grow by 42%, fruits by 61%, nuts by 172%, and legumes by 187%. Overall, global food prices could fall by about 3%.
Building a fair and sustainable food system
Christina Hicks of Lancaster University said the richest 30% of people cause over 70% of all food-related environmental damage. Fewer than 1% currently meet their food needs without harming nature.
The commission recommends shifting subsidies from meat and dairy toward sustainable crops like fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Governments could also tax foods high in sugar, salt, or saturated fats and increase purchasing power so healthy diets are affordable.
Willett emphasized that many traditional plant-based diets already fit the planetary health model. “We are not prescribing a single global diet,” he said. “This approach respects cultural diversity and helps every region eat healthily while protecting the planet.”
