A recipe for change: Analyzing the climate and ecosystem impacts of the Brazilian diet shift

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2024-06, Vol.930, p.172568, Article 172568
• Main Authors: Bakman, Tamar, Hoffmann, Bettina Susanne, Portugal-Pereira, Joana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brazil; Climate Change; Climate change mitigation; Conservation of Natural Resources; Diet; Ecosystem; Ecosystem services; Food systems; Greenhouse Gases - analysis; Life cycle assessment; Sustainable development goals
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172568

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 CO2e/cap/day) (39 % to 86 %) and land use (4-9 m2/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 m3/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. [Display omitted] •Global and local environmental implications of diet shifts in Brazil were assessed.•There is an opportunity to lower GHG and land footprint of diets in Brazil.•Lower consumption of animal foods can reduce from 38.95 % to 85.68 % GHG emission.•Diet change could lower land use from 37.52 % to 81.83 %.•Diet shifts for climate goals may trade off with ecosystem service protection.