Changing Diets Amid a Changing Climate

The increasing demand for animal protein has caused much concern because of its impact on the environment and contribution to climate change. Calls to reduce meat consumption and to move towards more plant-based diets have received much attention, exemplified by the release of the highly-respected EAT–Lancet Commission 2.0 report in October 2025. A global move to plant-based diets could lead to reductions in greenhouse gases by as much as two-thirds.

However, the shift towards a plant-based diet has its own set of concerns. Climate change is known to impact the quantity of food produced through reduced crop yields and crop loss. As plant-based diets become more commonplace, it becomes important to ask whether climate change also affects the quality of the plant-based food produced and consequently the nutritive value of vegetables and staples.

The EAT–Lancet Commission 2.0 report sets targets for healthy and sustainable diets which help meet climate goals like the Paris Agreement. Food quality and nutritive value (proteins, minerals, vitamins) are placed centre stage through the recommended Planetary Health Diet (PHD). This frames nutritious, high-quality diets as foundational to nutrition security (Sustainable Development Goal 2, or SDG2) and essential for achieving human health (SDG3).