Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

A food system transformation pathway reconciles 1.5 °C global warming with improved health, environment and social inclusion

Benjamin Leon Bodirsky, Felicitas Beier, Florian Humpenöder, Debbora Leip, Michael Crawford, David M. Chen, Patrick von Jeetze, Marco Springmann, Bjoern Soergel, Zebedee Nicholls, Jessica Strefler, Jared Lewis, Jens Heinke, Christoph Müller, Kristine Karstens, Isabelle Weindl, Miodrag Stevanović, Patrick Rein, P. Sauer, Abhijeet Mishra, Edna Johanna Molina Bacca, Alexandre C. Köberle, Xiaoxi Wang, Vartika Singh, Claudia Hunecke, Quitterie Collignon, Pepijn Schreinemachers, Simon Dietz, Ravi Kanbur, Jan Philipp Dietrich, Hermann Lotze‐Campen, Alexander Popp

Nature Food · 2025

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Summary

This modelling study applies an integrated global food and land system framework to evaluate 23 food system transformation measures across 15 sustainability and health indicators through 2050. The authors demonstrate that whilst individual measures involve trade-offs, their combined implementation can substantially reduce mortality burden, environmental impacts and poverty whilst enabling achievement of the 1.5 °C climate target. The findings suggest that coordinated food system and climate policy outside agriculture is necessary to reconcile health, environmental and social objectives.

UK applicability

The study's global modelling provides a systems-level perspective relevant to UK food policy integration, particularly for setting nutrition and climate targets in the forthcoming Food Strategy. However, the abstract does not clarify regional granularity; UK-specific applicability would require assessment of how global measures translate to domestic agricultural and trade contexts.

Key measures

Mortality impact (life years lost annually), nitrogen surplus, absolute poverty prevalence, greenhouse gas emissions, climate target feasibility (1.5 °C)

Outcomes reported

The study quantified the impact of 23 food system measures on 15 outcome indicators spanning public health, environment, social inclusion and economy through 2050. Key outcomes measured include annual mortality reduction, nitrogen surplus change, absolute poverty impacts, and climate mitigation potential.

Theme
Policy, governance & rights
Subject
Food & agricultural policy
Study type
Research
Study design
Modelling study
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Food supply chain
DOI
10.1038/s43016-025-01268-y
Catalogue ID
BFmor3ggd1-6ncawt

Topic tags

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