Nutrition and Planetary Health

Help us fight climate change with food

 

Host a plant-based event. We'll pay for the food.

 

Are you...

  • a medical student?

  • passionate about plant-based food?

  • interested in promoting planetary health?

Check out this mini-grant to cover food-related costs.*

 

*Terms and conditions apply

What are the impacts of climate change on human health?

The climate crisis is the single biggest threat to global health. Rising global temperatures and the disruption of ecological systems create a huge number of very different human health impacts.

Natural catastrophes and extreme weather including hurricanes, wildfires and flooding will become much more common and cause resettlements, injuries and death

The prevalence and geographical distribution of many infectious diseases will change, as hosts and vectors of these diseases are able to expand their territory with changing temperatures. Longer allergy-seasons, spikes in ozone pollution, generally increasing air pollution and more frequent heat waves will lead to more severe cases of respiratory diseases like asthma as well as cardiovascular disease.

Unstable and extreme weather conditions will jeopardise the world’s food and water supply. Rising sea levels and other previously mentioned factors will force huge migration movements leading to civil conflicts and societal distortions. All these conditions in an increasingly unstable environment affect mental health tremendously and will lead to more anxiety, despair, depression and post-traumatic stress. 

"Meeting the 1.5°C target requires rapid and ambitious changes to food systems (…)"

Clark MA et. al; “Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5° and 2°C climate change targets.” Science. 2020 6;370(6517):705-708

"Climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century"

Costello, A.; “Abbas, M.; Allen, A. et al: Managing the health effects of climate change.” In: The Lancet 373 (2009) Nr. 9676, S 1693 -1733

What do we need to do to prevent climate change?

The good news is that we can avoid most of these crises by stabilizing global warming temperatures to a maximum of 1.5 °C. For this to happen, all economic and societal sectors must cut CO2 emissions dramatically. To reach the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, global emissions need to be down to 50% by 2030 and at the latest down to (net) zero by 2050.

What impact does agriculture have on the environment?

The global food system is responsible for about 26% of all greenhouse gas emissions and thus transformation of this system is highly important in the fight against climate crisis. More than half of the emissions in the food sector come from animal products, making the reduction or complete exclusion of animal products the single biggest step any one of us can make to reduce our food-related emissions. Research shows that the more plants in our diets, the better for our climate and the environment. 

Through a global switch to plant-based diets, we would cut emissions of the food system to a level aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement. To effectively tackle the climate crisis, the future crisis of healthcare and the greatest health threat in human history, we need to empower as many people as possible to adopt a (whole food,) plant-based diet.

Learn more in our online nutrition courses at the PAN Academy

The clip below is a short extract from a lesson in our online nutrition courses. Find out about how nutrition influences planetary health and more at the PAN Academy.

Module #1 Lesson 6 – The Ideal Diet for Planetary Health

In this clip, we talk about how the food system, especially animal agriculture, contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions and how the adoption of significantly more plant-based diets is necessary to reach the 1.5-degree target.

Are you ready to tackle global warming together with us?

Support us with a donation or become a member and educate yourself about how plant-based nutrition benefits your health and the planet.

Making better physicians

Want more info about nutrition and planetary health?

Module #1 “Power of Nutrition” of the PAN Academy covers the connection between food systems and the climate.

Module #1 Power of Nutrition

Ready to get a great introduction to the key elements of healthy nutrition? Wanna find out what the latest science says about the impact of food production on our health and the health of our planet? Then, this module is for you!

Making better physicians

Want more info about nutrition and planetary health?

Module #1 “Power of Nutrition” of the PAN Academy covers the connection between food systems and the climate.

Module #1 Power of Nutrition

Ready to get a great introduction to the key elements of healthy nutrition? Wanna find out what the latest science says about the impact of food production on our health and the health of our planet? Then, this module is for you!