The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) has published a report, commissioned by Defra, which examines how changes in UK food consumption patterns could deliver positive sustainability outcomes.
For example reduced climate change impacts, improved health and nutrition, reduced environmental impacts, improved economic and social benefits.
Using evidence from 44 published academic research studies and expert reports, a sustainability assessment was made of how a range of food and dietary consumption behaviour changes would impact on health, environment, the economy and reducing social inequalities.
On the basis of evidence from the literature and from stakeholders, the SDC report prioritises the dietary changes that would contribute the most progress towards a sustainable diet into three categories:
Changes likely to have the most significant and immediate impact on making our diets more sustainable, in which health, environmental, economic and social impacts are more likely to complement each other.
Changes likely to have a significant positive sustainability impact, but where gains in one area might have a more negative impact in other areas.
And changes which will make a smaller contribution to making our diets sustainable, with largely complementary effects across key areas.
The report then makes a series of policy and research recommendations to government.
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