A roadmap for a sustainable future
By 2050, everyone on Earth could eat nutritious and culturally familiar food while helping restore the planet, a groundbreaking report reveals. The key is adopting a “planetary health diet,” cutting food waste, and improving farming practices worldwide. The 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems says these steps could allow 9.6 billion people to eat well and fairly.
The commission found that such a transformation could also slash global food-related greenhouse gas emissions by more than half. At present, about 30% of all emissions come from producing, processing, and transporting food, as well as from clearing forests for agriculture.
What the planetary health diet includes
The planetary health diet prioritizes fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. It allows moderate meat and dairy intake but limits added sugars, saturated fats, and salt. “This diet benefits both people and the planet,” said Dr. Walter Willett, professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Willett recommends one daily serving of dairy and one serving of animal protein, such as fish, poultry, eggs, or meat. Red meat should be eaten only once a week in a small portion of around 4 ounces. “It’s not a deprivation diet,” Willett said. “It’s close to the Mediterranean diet — dairy once a day, red meat once a week, and other proteins two or three times a week.”
Global transformation beyond food choices
Changing diets alone won’t be enough, said commission co-chair Johan Rockström of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. “We must also tackle food waste and manage land, water, and ecosystems more sustainably,” he explained. “The real challenge is producing healthy food that’s affordable and accessible for everyone.”
Backlash from the meat industry
The EAT-Lancet Commission first released its findings in 2019 alongside The Lancet medical journal and scientists from around the world. Back then, the report estimated that up to 11.6 million premature deaths could be prevented annually. The new 2025 update raises that number to about 15 million lives saved every year. In the United States alone, around 31% of premature adult deaths could be avoided.
According to the commission, changing how we produce and consume food could save $5 trillion each year by restoring nature, improving health, and slowing climate change. The required investment would be just a fraction of that — between $200 and $500 billion.
Still, the meat and dairy industries have strongly opposed these findings. In 2019, campaigns like #YestoMeat spread online to discredit the report. “We see a similar wave of misinformation now,” Rockström said. “It’s another form of climate denialism.”
Dr. Willett also warned that the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, led by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., promotes a meat-heavy diet while downplaying the climate impact of livestock. “This report is important because it’s grounded in the best science available,” Willett said.
Modeling the future of food
If current trends continue, food-related greenhouse gas emissions could rise by 33% by 2050. Nearly 70% of the planet’s ecosystems have already lost more than half their natural space, mostly to farming. The commission projects that adopting the planetary health diet could cut those emissions by 60% compared to 2020 levels.
Cattle numbers would fall by 26%, freeing up 11% of grazing land. “That’s vital,” Willett said. “It would stop deforestation in the Amazon, where forests are cleared for growing animal feed.”
Meanwhile, aquatic food production could increase by 46%. Vegetable output could rise by 42%, fruits by 61%, nuts by 172%, and legumes by 187%. Overall, food prices could drop by about 3%.
Building a fair and sustainable food system
Commission member Christina Hicks from Lancaster University said the richest 30% of people are responsible for more than 70% of food-related environmental damage. Fewer than 1% of people currently meet their food needs without harming the planet.
To fix this imbalance, the commission suggests shifting agricultural subsidies from meat and dairy to more sustainable crops like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. Taxes on foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat could also reduce unhealthy consumption. “We must raise purchasing power so everyone can afford a healthy diet,” said Line Gordon, director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre.
Preserving traditional plant-based diets around the world is another key step. “We’re not forcing one universal diet,” Willett said. “The planetary health diet supports cultural diversity. With small changes, it can fit every region — and secure the planet’s future.”
