What does food have to do with climate change? The food we eat is responsible for up to one third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Most of this comes from animal products – especially the production of red meat, such as beef or lamb, and the production of dairy products, such as cheese.

Only a tiny bit of these emissions comes from transport – what is often called “food miles”. Most of the greenhouse gas emissions from food actually come from producing it in the first place – mostly from land use, and from the animals themselves.

To reduce the climate footprint of our diets, we need to reduce how much meat and dairy we eat. Swapping meat and cheese for plant-based protein-rich foods, such as nuts, pulses, and tofu, dramatically reduces the emissions from our foods.