Reference Article: Editorial | The Hindu – Justice in food: On new EAT-Lancet Commission report
UPSC Relevance:
– GS Paper III: Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainable Agriculture
– GS Paper IV: Ethics in Resource Use and Environmental Justice
The EAT-Lancet Commission’s 2025 report on healthy, sustainable, and just food systems underscores how the world’s food production and consumption patterns are deeply intertwined with the planetary crisis. Food systems alone are responsible for breaching five of the six planetary boundaries and contribute nearly 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, highlighting the urgent need for systemic reform in agriculture, diet, and governance.
Global Findings: Food at the Core of the Planetary Crisis
- Environmental burden: Animal-based foods account for most agricultural GHG emissions, while grains dominate nitrogen, phosphorus, and freshwater use.
- Biogeochemical overload: Global nitrogen surplus has exceeded safe limits twofold, reflecting unsustainable fertilizer and livestock practices.
- Efficiency paradox: Productivity gains alone, without policy reform, can drive rebound effects, nullifying environmental benefits.
- Path to sustainability: The report calls for combined action — reducing food waste, improving efficiency, and promoting sustainable diets — to restore ecological balance.
- Pragmatic assessment: Even under ideal interventions, the world would only barely return to safety regarding climate and water use by 2050, indicating the scale of transformation required.
Key Challenge: Balancing Sustainability and Economic Growth
The report assumes a 127% rise in global GDP over the next 30 years — an unrealistic projection that ignores climate-induced disruptions and inequality. It suggests a shift towards low-growth, resilience-focused policies that integrate sustainability within development priorities rather than treating them as trade-offs.
India-Specific Insights and Challenges
- Cereal-heavy diets: India’s diet remains dominated by grains, while a sustainable transition by 2050 requires more vegetables, fruits, pulses, nuts, and legumes.
- Affordability concerns: Diversifying diets could raise food prices, especially in regions dependent on imports of perishable or nutrient-dense foods.
- Cultural and social barriers: Food preferences are deeply shaped by religion, caste, and convenience, limiting the practicality of sweeping dietary reforms.
- Justice and equity: A just transition must protect low-income consumers while ensuring nutritional security without eroding cultural food diversity.
Policy Directions for India
To achieve both sustainability and equity, the report recommends a multi-pronged reform strategy:
- Demand-side measures:
- Set standards to reduce harmful inputs and promote minimally processed foods.
- Use fiscal incentives and procurement policies to normalise regionally familiar and affordable dishes.
- Supply-side interventions:
- Reform water use by reducing groundwater extraction incentives.
- Promote soil restoration, energy-efficient cold chains, and low-emission agricultural practices.
- Governance and accountability:
- Tackle corporate concentration in food markets.
- Strengthen collective bargaining rights of farmers and workers.
- Ensure consumer representation in food and agriculture regulation.
Conclusion
The EAT-Lancet report reframes food not just as a nutritional or economic concern but as a core lever of planetary and social justice. For India, sustainable food systems will require balancing ecological integrity with affordability and cultural identity. The goal must be to achieve nutrition security, environmental resilience, and social equity—turning food policy into a foundation for both human and planetary well-being.
UPSC Practice Question:
“The EAT-Lancet Commission highlights food systems as central to the climate and biodiversity crises. Critically examine India’s challenges and policy priorities in transitioning towards a sustainable and just food system.”