Food Systems and Planetary Boundaries – Climate and Justice

The 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission report marks the critical role of food systems in global environmental crises. It shows that food production drives five of six breached planetary boundaries and causes about 30% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The report stresses urgent reforms in agriculture, diets, and policies to address climate, biodiversity, water, and pollution challenges.

Food Systems and Environmental Impact

Food production is a major environmental stressor. Animal-based foods cause most agricultural emissions. Grains dominate nitrogen, phosphorus, and water use. Current agriculture produces nitrogen surplus more than twice the safe limit. This excess harms ecosystems and disrupts biogeochemical cycles. Without policy intervention, efficiency gains risk increasing output and environmental damage.

Dietary Changes and Social Justice

Shifting diets is essential but complex. Healthier diets with more vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes are needed by 2050. This may raise food prices, threatening affordability, especially in import-dependent regions. Dietary preferences are influenced by religion, caste, and social norms. Thus, reforms must balance nutrition, cultural acceptability, and price stability to ensure justice.

Supply-Side Reforms in Agriculture

Reducing water stress, soil degradation, and fossil fuel use is vital. India must curb groundwater extraction incentives and improve cold chain efficiency. Supply reforms include cutting harmful inputs and adopting sustainable farming practices. These steps help conserve resources and reduce pollution while maintaining productivity.

Policy, Markets, and Governance Challenges

Market concentration and corporate influence hinder reform. Weak incentives fail to prevent labour and ecological harm. Stronger collective bargaining for workers and small producers is necessary. Consumer representation in regulatory processes must improve. Ensuring these safeguards is crucial for fair and effective food system transformation.

Future Outlook and Economic Assumptions

The report assumes global GDP will grow 127% in 30 years. This may be optimistic given climate shocks and policy shifts toward lower growth. Even with combined actions, food systems will barely meet climate and freshwater safety targets by mid-century. Nutrient security pressures will persist, demanding ongoing innovation and governance.

Questions for UPSC:

1. Point out the environmental impacts of current agricultural practices and estimate their effects on planetary boundaries.
2. Critically analyse the role of dietary habits and cultural factors in shaping food security and nutrition policies in India.
3. Underlining the significance of water management, how can India address groundwater depletion and promote sustainable agriculture?
4. With suitable examples, estimate the influence of market concentration and corporate power on ecological sustainability and labour rights in global food systems.

Answer Hints:

1. Point out the environmental impacts of current agricultural practices and estimate their effects on planetary boundaries.

1. Food production drives five of six breached planetary boundaries, including climate change, biodiversity loss, freshwater use, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, and land-system change.
2. Animal-based foods contribute most agricultural greenhouse gas emissions; grains dominate nitrogen, phosphorus, and water consumption.
3. Global nitrogen surplus from agriculture exceeds safe limits by more than twice, disrupting biogeochemical cycles and harming ecosystems.
4. Excessive water use and soil degradation threaten freshwater availability and land productivity.
5. Efficiency gains without policy control can increase output and environmental damage, negating sustainability efforts.
6. Current agricultural practices contribute (~30%) to global greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate crises.

2. Critically analyse the role of dietary habits and cultural factors in shaping food security and nutrition policies in India.

1. India’s cereal-heavy diet contrasts with global recommendations for more vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes by 2050.
2. Dietary preferences are deeply influenced by religion, caste, social norms, and convenience, complicating dietary shifts.
3. Affordability challenges arise due to potential price increases in healthier foods, especially in import-dependent regions.
4. Midday meal programs and procurement policies anchor existing dietary patterns, limiting flexibility in food choices.
5. Nutrition policies must balance health goals with cultural acceptability and economic accessibility to ensure justice.
6. Alternative strategies include setting new agricultural standards, fiscal incentives for minimally processed foods, and regionally familiar dishes to ease transitions.

3. Underlining the significance of water management, how can India address groundwater depletion and promote sustainable agriculture?

1. India faces severe groundwater depletion due to implicit, open-ended incentives encouraging over-extraction.
2. Reforming water pricing and regulating groundwater extraction can reduce unsustainable use.
3. Adopting water-efficient irrigation methods (e.g., drip irrigation) conserves water resources.
4. Promoting crop diversification away from water-intensive grains towards less water-demanding crops aids sustainability.
5. Improving cold chains and reducing fossil fuel dependence in food processing lowers environmental footprint.
6. Integrated water resource management and community participation strengthen sustainable water governance.

4. With suitable examples, estimate the influence of market concentration and corporate power on ecological sustainability and labour rights in global food systems.

1. High market concentration leads to corporate dominance, reducing competition and controlling supply chains.
2. Corporate influence often prioritizes profit over ecological sustainability, leading to harmful inputs and resource depletion.
3. Weak incentives and regulations allow labour exploitation and poor working conditions in agricultural and processing sectors.
4. Examples include large agribusinesses controlling seed, fertilizer markets, and food retail chains limiting small producers’ bargaining power.
5. Stronger collective bargaining by workers and small producers is necessary to protect rights and promote fair practices.
6. Consumer representation in regulatory processes can help counterbalance corporate power and promote sustainability.