Bending the Curve: The Restorative Power of Planet-Based Diets

This report demonstrates the health and environmental impacts of our current food consumption patterns by geography and it shows the potential of dietary shifts towards planet-based diets in a very concrete way for countries. In addition, this report also includes policy recommendations for national and multilateral level decision-makers. Bending the curve: The restorative power of planet-based diets is a scientific report in which we explore three things: firstly, the current impacts of food consumption, at a country level, on both human and environmental health; secondly, the extent of change in impacts on human and environmental health if current consumption shifted to different diets; thirdly, the strategic areas in which dietary shifts can have most significant impact on bending the curve on the negative impacts of the food system – moving from a system that exploits the planet to one which restores it for nature and people. The evidence in this report shows there is an opportunity to improve human and environmental health by making dietary shifts that eliminate over-consumption of any foods, and that doing so can help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. There can also be impacts outside the food system and on socio-economic factors which will require government action, broad coalitions and social safety nets to alleviate such impacts. That’s why dietary transitions must be part of a holistic food system transformation designed by multiple stakeholders and be accompanied by nature- positive production practices and reductions in food loss and waste.