Centre for Energy and Environmental Economics (CENERGIA), Energy Planning Program (PPE), COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-917, Brazil.
Escola de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-917, Brazil.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jun 20;930:172568. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172568. Epub 2024 Apr 20.
Diet shift is an opportunity to mitigate the impacts of food systems, which are responsible for about a third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally and exert various environmental pressures on ecosystems. This study evaluates the mitigation potential of both global and local environmental impacts through dietary changes within the Brazilian context. Furthermore, the study aims to identify the potential benefits and trade-offs that may arise from these dietary transitions, thus providing a comprehensive analysis of the overall environmental implications. To this end, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to evaluate the environmental impacts of a conventional diet in Brazil and seven alternatives, namely adjusted-EAT-Lancet, pescatarian, vegetarian, entomophagic (insect-based food), mycoprotein (microbial-based food), and synthetic (cell-based food) diets. Results indicate a substantial mitigation potential for GHG emissions (4-9 kg COe/cap/day) (39 % to 86 %) and land use (4-9 m/cap/day) (38 % to 82 %) through a diet shift from a conventional diet to any of the seven alternative diets. However, certain trade-offs exist. A diet shift demonstrates no mitigation potential of soil acidification, and opportunities to reduce water eutrophication (0.02-0.2 g Pe/cap/day) (2 % to 24 %) and water consumption (0.2-0.5 m/cap/day) (7 % to 14 %) were only found by completely substituting animal products for insect-based food, microbial-based food, and cell-based food. This study highlights the considerable potential of dietary changes to mitigate global environmental impacts associated with food systems. By revealing opportunities and challenges, this study supports science-based decision-making and guides efforts toward sustainable and environmentally friendly food consumption patterns.
饮食结构转变是减轻粮食系统影响的契机，粮食系统造成了全球约三分之一的温室气体排放，并对生态系统造成了各种环境压力。本研究通过评估巴西国内饮食结构变化对全球和地方环境影响的缓解潜力，来评估通过饮食变化减轻环境影响的潜力。此外，本研究旨在确定这些饮食转变可能带来的潜在收益和权衡取舍，从而对整体环境影响进行全面分析。为此，本研究采用生命周期评估（LCA）方法，评估了巴西传统饮食以及七种替代饮食（调整后的 EAT-柳叶刀饮食、鱼素饮食、素食、食用昆虫饮食、微生物蛋白饮食、合成细胞饮食）的环境影响。结果表明，通过从传统饮食向七种替代饮食中的任何一种转变，都具有很大的温室气体减排潜力（4-9 kg COe/cap/day）（39%-86%）和土地利用减排潜力（4-9 m/cap/day）（38%-82%）。然而，也存在一定的权衡取舍。饮食结构转变对土壤酸化没有缓解潜力，只有完全用食用昆虫、微生物蛋白和合成细胞饮食替代动物产品，才能减少水富营养化（0.02-0.2 g Pe/cap/day）（2%-24%）和水消耗（0.2-0.5 m/cap/day）（7%-14%）。本研究强调了饮食结构变化在减轻粮食系统相关全球环境影响方面的巨大潜力。通过揭示机遇和挑战，本研究支持基于科学的决策，并为可持续和环保的食物消费模式提供指导。
