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If everyone in the world replicated Ireland’s eating habits, we would need five planets to cope with the pressure it would put on the environment, according to Oxford University academic Marco Springmann.
r Springmann says research shows that there is no country in the world with an ideal diet that balances health needs with environmental sustainability. However, Irish diets compare poorly with eating habits abroad.
On a per capita basis, if every country in the world followed Ireland’s recommended daily dietary guidelines, we would need two planets just to cope with the greenhouse gas emissions produced.
“But people don’t really eat according to the guidelines,” says Dr Springmann of the research, published in the British Medical Journal.
“He found that if everyone ate as recommended to the Irish, we would need two Earths to balance greenhouse gas emissions, because dairy recommendations are higher than sustainable. The Irish diet is primarily focused on red meat. and dairy, and these generate high emissions, they are not healthy or both. ”
We eat more than the recommended guidelines, so we don’t need two but five additional planets. In addition to environmental impacts, diet has consequences for health.
Dr. Springmann, who will be part of a panel of experts on What Planet Are You On? From RTÉ, he says that meat is a proven carcinogen, while the benefits of dairy can also be questioned.
Last year, the Irish Farmers Association questioned his credentials after the academic downplayed the health benefits of the dairy industry. But Dr. Springmann says the research and his credentials speak for themselves.
“For the past seven years, I have done research and modeling that brings together health, nutrition, environmental and economic aspects.”
He says that farmers must adapt and must be given incentives to do so.
He also said countries can do better to give people dietary advice.
“Any national policy that is adopted must be incorporated into agriculture. Here, it is important to take the agricultural sector by the hand and guide it, but what we usually see is a great outcry if someone calls for a reduction in meat and dairy consumption. But if we don’t, especially in high-income countries like Ireland, there is no way to limit climate change. “
What planet are you on? airs tonight on RTÉ One at 6.30 pm.
Independent Sunday
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