Low-carbon diet

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A low-carbon diet is any diet that results in lower greenhouse gas emissions.^[1][2] Choosing a low carbon diet is one facet of developing sustainable diets which increase the long-term sustainability of humanity. Major tenets of a low-carbon diet include eating a plant-based diet, and in particular little or no beef and dairy.^[3] Low-carbon diets differ around the world in taste, style, and the frequency they are eaten. Asian countries like India and China feature vegetarian and vegan meals as staples in their diets. In contrast, Europe and North America rely on animal products for their Western diets.^[4]

It is estimated that the food system is responsible for a quarter to a third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.^[5] More fossil fuels are required for the production of animal-based foods like meat and dairy and have a higher carbon footprint.^[6] Large amounts of land are required to raise livestock for beef and dairy products and methane emissions from cattle contribute to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. However, carbon emissions from transportation and packaging for plant-based diets are similar in scale to animal-based diets.^[7] Local production can be much more energy intensive and inefficient compared to industrialized production.^[8]