Overview

• Researchers estimate global adoption of the Planetary Health Diet is associated with a 27% lower risk of premature death, preventing roughly 15 million early deaths annually.
• Food systems account for about 30% of greenhouse gases; shifting diets could cut agricultural emissions by roughly 15–20% on their own, and paired with broader measures could halve food‑related emissions by 2050.
• The report quantifies hidden costs of today’s food systems at about $15 trillion per year and projects that $200–500 billion in annual investments could yield around $5 trillion in yearly benefits.
• Authors call for systemic actions including taxes on unhealthy products, subsidies for fruits and vegetables, subsidy realignment, habitat protection, better farm practices, and cutting food loss and waste.
• The update highlights severe inequities and information risks, noting the wealthiest 30% drive about 70% of food‑related environmental pressure, 3.7 billion people lack reliable access to healthy food, and coordinated online campaigns have targeted the findings as policy debates intensify ahead of UN climate talks.