India’s food plate is greenest in the world, says international study

In a significant finding from the latest Living Planet Report, India has emerged as a leader in sustainable food consumption among the G20 nations.
The report underscores that if more countries were to adopt India’s dietary habits, it would lead to a notable reduction in environmental damage and help mitigate the impacts of climate change by the year 2050.
Following India in the rankings are Indonesia and China, which are recognized for their environmentally sustainable diet patterns. In stark contrast, the report highlights that countries such as the United States, Argentina, and Australia have the least sustainable food consumption practices.
One of the pressing issues raised in the report is the alarming rise in global overconsumption, particularly of fats and sugars, which is fueling a worldwide obesity epidemic.
Currently, over 2.5 billion adults are classified as overweight, with approximately 890 million living with obesity.
A key focus of the report is India’s National Millet Campaign, an initiative aimed at revitalizing the consumption of ancient grains known for their health benefits and resilience to climate change.
The report notes, “In some countries, promoting traditional foods will be an important lever to shift diets,” emphasizing the role of indigenous foods in achieving sustainability.
India’s diverse culinary landscape features a blend of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. In the northern regions, staples include lentils and wheat-based rotis, often accompanied by meat dishes.
In contrast, southern India predominantly enjoys rice and rice-based fermented foods like idli and dosa, typically served with dal-based sambhar and chutney.
Additionally, various types of fish are a staple in the western, eastern, and northeastern regions, along with a rich array of age-old millets such as jowar, bajra, ragi, and broken wheat known as Dalia.
The report issues a stark warning about the future of global food consumption: “If everyone in the world adopted the current food consumption patterns of the world’s major economies by 2050, we would exceed the 1.5°C climate target for food-related greenhouse gas emissions by 263% and require one to seven Earths to support us.” This highlights the urgent need for a collective reevaluation of dietary habits across nations.
The orange vertical line presented in the report represents the planetary climate boundary for food, indicating the maximum allowable greenhouse gas emissions to remain within safe limits for global warming.
As the world grapples with pressing sustainability challenges, India’s approach to food consumption could serve as a vital model for nations seeking to balance dietary preferences with environmental responsibility.
The findings of the Living Planet Report urge all countries to reconsider their food systems, promoting traditional and sustainable practices that benefit both public health and