The way humanity produces and eats food must radically change to avoid millions of deaths and “catastrophic” damage to the planet, according to a landmark study on diet published Thursday. At the same time the global food system is the single largest emitter of greenhouse gases, the biggest driver of biodiversity loss, and the main cause of deadly algae blooms along coasts and inland waterways. The cornerstone of “the great food transformation” called for in the study is a template human diet of about 2,500 calories per day. “We can no longer feed our population a healthy diet while balancing planetary resources,” said The Lancet editor-in-chief Richard Horton. “The question is: does this come by crisis, or do we start planning for it now?”Some multinationals responded positively, if cautiously, to the study.

Source: Egypt Independent January 17, 2019 09:00 UTC