What if your country ate the Planetary Health Diet?

See how food-related emissions could change, based on a 2024 Nature Climate Change study.

National averages, not a personal footprint. Check your own plate

Malaysia

−5% dietary emissions

If Malaysia adopted the Planetary Health Diet, food-related emissions would fall by about 7.7 Mt CO₂e a year, compared with 2019 diets.

2019 diets
100
Planetary Health Diet
95

Malaysia in context

In Malaysia, food-related emissions would fall by 5%, about 7.7 Mt CO₂e a year: the 96th largest cut of the 100 countries where emissions would fall, a smaller cut than the world as a whole (−17%).

Across the rest of Southeast Asia, the largest cut would come from grains (−70 Mt CO₂e) and the largest increase from dairy (+31 Mt CO₂e).

Other countries the study groups with Malaysia in the rest of Southeast Asia:

  • −17% globally
  • 1,940 Mt CO₂e avoided each year
  • 100 of 138 countries reduce emissions

The study compares 2019 diets in 139 countries and territories with the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet, counting emissions along the whole food chain.

Putting −17% in perspective

A diet built for health, with a real climate dividend

  • About 3–4% of all emissions

    The nearly 2 billion tonnes of CO₂e avoided each year are roughly 3–4% of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions, from changing what is on the plate alone. The study assumes no cleaner farming, energy or transport, and no less food waste.

  • A net result

    The 57% of people who eat more than they need would cut emissions by the equivalent of 32% of global food emissions. People who now eat too little, or too narrowly, would eat better and add 15%. The diet does both.

  • More beyond the plate

    The 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission finds that the diet, combined with better farming and less waste, could halve food-system emissions. Land no longer needed for feed and grazing could also store carbon if it returned to nature: up to 98 billion tonnes of CO₂ over time for 54 high-income countries alone, according to one study.

Health comes first. The Planetary Health Diet was designed from health evidence, not to minimise emissions; the 2025 Commission estimates it could prevent up to 15 million deaths a year. Check your own plate

Sources: EAT-Lancet Commission 2025, Summary Report; Sun, Z. et al. Nature Food 3, 29–37 (2022), “Dietary change in high-income nations alone can lead to substantial double climate dividend”.

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Compare countries

Where diets would cut, or add, emissions

Green countries would emit less with the Planetary Health Diet, orange ones more. Select a country for its details.

Skip the map United Arab Emirates: −33% Afghanistan: +11% Albania: −48% Armenia: −61% Angola: +77% Argentina: −60% Austria: −50% Australia: −70% Azerbaijan: −50% Bosnia and Herzegovina: −36% Bangladesh: +18% Belgium: −44% Burkina Faso: +7% Bulgaria: −19% Burundi: +111% Benin: +22% Bolivia: −9% Brazil: −34% Bhutan: −45% Botswana: no dataBelarus: −30% Canada: −45% Democratic Republic of the Congo: +75% Central African Rep.: no dataRepublic of the Congo: +33% Switzerland: −31% Côte d’Ivoire: +71% Chile: −44% Cameroon: +30% China (mainland): −28% Colombia: +8% Costa Rica: no dataCuba: no dataCzechia: −33% Germany: −51% Denmark: −28% Dominican Rep.: no dataAlgeria: no dataEcuador: −2% Estonia: −31% Egypt: −19% W. Sahara: no dataEritrea: no dataSpain: −52% Ethiopia: +59% Finland: −48% France: −42% Gabon: +29% United Kingdom: −45% Georgia: −24% Ghana: +59% Greenland: no dataGuinea: −11% Greece: −52% Guatemala: −15% Guinea-Bissau: no dataGuyana: no dataHonduras: +5% Croatia: −30% Haiti: +121% Hungary: −13% Indonesia: −4% Ireland: −18% India: +9% Iraq: +155% Iran: no dataIceland: −46% Italy: −38% Jordan: −14% Japan: −27% Kenya: −2% Kyrgyzstan: −54% Cambodia: −11% North Korea: no dataSouth Korea: −19% Kazakhstan: −62% Laos: −15% Sri Lanka: +35% Liberia: no dataLesotho: no dataLithuania: −29% Latvia: −23% Libya: no dataMorocco: −25% Moldova: −23% Madagascar: +29% North Macedonia: −40% Mali: −6% Myanmar: −13% Mongolia: −52% Mauritania: −13% Malawi: +28% Mexico: −39% Malaysia: −5% Mozambique: +60% Namibia: −14% Niger: +26% Nigeria: +94% Nicaragua: −0.2% Netherlands: −24% Norway: −50% Nepal: −20% New Zealand: −24% Oman: no dataPanama: −13% Peru: −6% Papua New Guinea: +52% Philippines: −7% Pakistan: −44% Poland: −24% Portugal: −46% Paraguay: −14% Romania: −33% Serbia: −53% Russia: −48% Saudi Arabia: −17% Sudan: no dataSweden: −40% Slovakia: +84% Sierra Leone: +20% Senegal: +13% Somalia: no dataSuriname: no dataS. Sudan: no dataSyria: no dataChad: −42% Togo: +25% Thailand: −6% Tajikistan: −64% Turkmenistan: no dataTunisia: no dataTürkiye: −65% Taiwan: −42% Tanzania: +8% Ukraine: −28% Uganda: +35% United States: −61% Uruguay: −48% Uzbekistan: −74% Venezuela: no dataVietnam: −23% Yemen: +49% South Africa: −34% Zambia: +45% Zimbabwe: no dataBrunei: no dataBahamas: no dataBelize: no dataCabo Verde: −13% Cyprus: −36% Djibouti: no dataFiji: −18% Falkland Is.: no dataGambia: +10% Eq. Guinea: no dataHong Kong: −39% Israel: −61% Jamaica: −19% Kuwait: no dataLebanon: no dataLuxembourg: −17% Montenegro: −43% Macao: −35% Malta: −45% Mauritius: −20% Maldives: +9% New Caledonia: no dataPuerto Rico: no dataPalestine: no dataQatar: −67% Rwanda: +60% Solomon Is.: no dataSingapore: −62% Slovenia: no dataSão Tomé and Príncipe: +35% El Salvador: −13% Eswatini: +13% Fr. S. Antarctic Lands: no dataTimor-Leste: no dataTrinidad and Tobago: no dataVanuatu: no data
  • −50% or more
  • −25% to −50%
  • 0 to −25%
  • 0 to +25%
  • +25% to +75%
  • +75% or more
  • No data

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Where the change comes from

Food by food, in Rest of Southeast Asia

The study breaks the change down by food group for large countries and world regions. Negative bars are emissions avoided; positive bars are emissions added by eating more of a food.

Change in yearly dietary emissions in Rest of Southeast Asia, in million tonnes of CO₂e (total: −70 Mt)
Food group Change
Grains −70 Mt
Beef, lamb and pork −48 Mt
Sugars −11 Mt
Tubers and starchy vegetables −3.9 Mt
Poultry, eggs and fish −3.0 Mt
Vegetables and fruits +4.0 Mt
Legumes and nuts +15 Mt
Added fats +17 Mt
Dairy +31 Mt

Biggest changes

Largest cuts

  1. Uzbekistan−74%
  2. Australia−70%
  3. Qatar−67%
  4. Türkiye−65%
  5. Tajikistan−64%

Where emissions would rise

  1. Iraq+155%
  2. Haiti+121%
  3. Burundi+111%
  4. Nigeria+94%
  5. Slovakia+84%

In 38 countries, emissions would rise. They are mostly lower-income countries, where eating enough of each food group means producing more food. The global reduction comes largely from eating less red meat where diets are richest in it, with legumes and nuts as the main protein swap.

All 138 countries

Show the full table
Change in yearly dietary emissions with the Planetary Health Diet, compared with 2019 diets
Country or territory Change Million tonnes CO₂e
Afghanistan +11% +2.3 Mt
Albania −48% −1.6 Mt
Angola +77% +61 Mt
Argentina −60% −109 Mt
Armenia −61% −3.8 Mt
Australia −70% −84 Mt
Austria −50% −8.0 Mt
Azerbaijan −50% −8.8 Mt
Bangladesh +18% +23 Mt
Belarus −30% −12 Mt
Belgium −44% −14 Mt
Benin +22% +3.7 Mt
Bhutan −45% −0.42 Mt
Bolivia −9% −6.7 Mt
Bosnia and Herzegovina −36% −1.4 Mt
Brazil −34% −287 Mt
Bulgaria −19% −1.4 Mt
Burkina Faso +7% +1.5 Mt
Burundi +111% +5.6 Mt
Cabo Verde −13% −0.06 Mt
Cambodia −11% −4.7 Mt
Cameroon +30% +12 Mt
Canada −45% −54 Mt
Chad −42% −24 Mt
Chile −44% −17 Mt
China (mainland) −28% −411 Mt
Colombia +8% +11 Mt
Côte d’Ivoire +71% +11 Mt
Croatia −30% −2.1 Mt
Cyprus −36% −0.53 Mt
Czechia −33% −4.4 Mt
Democratic Republic of the Congo +75% +302 Mt
Denmark −28% −4.3 Mt
Ecuador −2% −0.87 Mt
Egypt −19% −18 Mt
El Salvador −13% −0.88 Mt
Estonia −31% −1.1 Mt
Eswatini +13% +0.27 Mt
Ethiopia +59% +51 Mt
Fiji −18% −0.23 Mt
Finland −48% −7.0 Mt
France −42% −46 Mt
Gabon +29% +2.0 Mt
Gambia +10% +0.26 Mt
Georgia −24% −1.2 Mt
Germany −51% −78 Mt
Ghana +59% +8.9 Mt
Greece −52% −14 Mt
Guatemala −15% −2.3 Mt
Guinea −11% −2.8 Mt
Haiti +121% +5.0 Mt
Honduras +5% +0.48 Mt
Hong Kong −39% −15 Mt
Hungary −13% −1.9 Mt
Iceland −46% −0.63 Mt
India +9% +89 Mt
Indonesia −4% −35 Mt
Iraq +155% +33 Mt
Ireland −18% −3.0 Mt
Israel −61% −13 Mt
Italy −38% −42 Mt
Jamaica −19% −1.9 Mt
Japan −27% −57 Mt
Jordan −14% −1.6 Mt
Kazakhstan −62% −27 Mt
Kenya −2% −1.3 Mt
Kyrgyzstan −54% −4.9 Mt
Laos −15% −2.3 Mt
Latvia −23% −1.0 Mt
Lithuania −29% −2.0 Mt
Luxembourg −17% −0.63 Mt
Macao −35% −0.32 Mt
Madagascar +29% +8.3 Mt
Malawi +28% +3.5 Mt
Malaysia −5% −7.7 Mt
Maldives +9% +0.07 Mt
Mali −6% −1.5 Mt
Malta −45% −0.40 Mt
Mauritania −13% −1.2 Mt
Mauritius −20% −0.35 Mt
Mexico −39% −81 Mt
Moldova −23% −0.45 Mt
Mongolia −52% −9.8 Mt
Montenegro −43% −0.32 Mt
Morocco −25% −11 Mt
Mozambique +60% +56 Mt
Myanmar −13% −21 Mt
Namibia −14% −1.9 Mt
Nepal −20% −7.4 Mt
Netherlands −24% −22 Mt
New Zealand −24% −5.6 Mt
Nicaragua −0.2% −0.03 Mt
Niger +26% +3.8 Mt
Nigeria +94% +102 Mt
North Macedonia −40% −0.74 Mt
Norway −50% −9.9 Mt
Pakistan −44% −155 Mt
Panama −13% −1.1 Mt
Papua New Guinea +52% +9.6 Mt
Paraguay −14% −3.4 Mt
Peru −6% −5.8 Mt
Philippines −7% −6.3 Mt
Poland −24% −22 Mt
Portugal −46% −10 Mt
Qatar −67% −9.5 Mt
Republic of the Congo +33% +5.6 Mt
Romania −33% −6.9 Mt
Russia −48% −150 Mt
Rwanda +60% +4.2 Mt
São Tomé and Príncipe +35% +0.05 Mt
Saudi Arabia −17% −15 Mt
Senegal +13% +2.4 Mt
Serbia −53% −5.2 Mt
Sierra Leone +20% +1.2 Mt
Singapore −62% −7.7 Mt
Slovakia +84% +27 Mt
South Africa −34% −40 Mt
South Korea −19% −23 Mt
Spain −52% −45 Mt
Sri Lanka +35% +4.1 Mt
Sweden −40% −14 Mt
Switzerland −31% −4.6 Mt
Taiwan −42% −15 Mt
Tajikistan −64% −6.7 Mt
Tanzania +8% +8.6 Mt
Thailand −6% −5.3 Mt
Togo +25% +1.0 Mt
Türkiye −65% −97 Mt
Uganda +35% +12 Mt
Ukraine −28% −8.5 Mt
United Arab Emirates −33% −11 Mt
United Kingdom −45% −42 Mt
United States −61% −477 Mt
Uruguay −48% −6.9 Mt
Uzbekistan −74% −44 Mt
Vietnam −23% −16 Mt
Yemen +49% +5.5 Mt
Zambia +45% +40 Mt

How to read these numbers

  • They compare average national diets in 2019 with the Planetary Health Diet, not what any one person eats.
  • Emissions cover the whole food chain, including land use and what happens beyond the farm.
  • The diet is a flexible reference: it still includes meat, fish, eggs and dairy, in smaller amounts.
  • Country and region names are shortened; values are shown as published in the study’s source data.
  • Slovenia is not listed: its published value does not match the study’s own totals for Western Europe. The global total and the regional food-group figures are shown as published.

Source: Li, Y. et al. Nature Climate Change 14, 943–953 (2024), “Reducing climate change impacts from the global food system through diet shifts”, source data for Fig. 5. Feast on the Planet is not affiliated with the authors or the journal.

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