A “climatarian” refers to someone who chooses what to eat based on climate considerations. It’s a new lifestyle, and the most practical way, at the table, to help lower the planet’s
temperature. In this
article, we’ll explore its meaning and necessity, and the small actions we can
take.
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Billie Eilish’s Voice
―
(Source: vegangreenplanet Instagram)
Recently, global pop star Billie Eilish used her social media to urge fans to
“try a climate-minded, plant-based diet,” sparking widespread discussion.
Even while
on tour, she shares meals made with local produce and regularly posts
plant-forward menus on her channels, conveying to her fans the importance of
eating for the climate.
Like Billie Eilish, among Gen Z the term “climatarian”
has come to signify more than a dietary preference—it’s being highlighted as a
brand-new lifestyle for the planet.
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What Is a Climatarian?
―
(Source: The EAT-Lancet Commission)
“Climatarian” = Climate + (Vegetarian/Flexitarian)
A climatarian is someone who chooses what to eat with
the climate in mind. This isn’t merely about eating less meat. It’s about
considering where, how, and by what methods food was produced.
For example, to reduce the water, feed, and greenhouse
gases needed to raise a single cow, one might opt for plant-based proteins
instead of steak. Or, rather than importing food flown thousands of kilometers,
a climatarian will choose seasonal vegetables grown in their own neighborhood.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) explains it this way:
“A sustainable diet has low environmental impact while contributing to food and nutrition security and a healthy life for present and future generations.”
(UNEP, 2021)
▶ Quick summary: What is a climatarian?
- Someone who selects foods to
reduce greenhouse-gas emissions
- Chooses plant proteins (beans,
tofu) over red meat
- Adopts a way of life aimed at curbing the climate crisis through diet
To learn more about how greenhouse gases affect our planet, see: Net Zero Is Our Planet’s Lifeline! |
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Food Carbon Footprints, Illustrated
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The following graph shows how much carbon is emitted during the production of
various foods.
Red meats like beef and lamb generate substantial
greenhouse gases, whereas plant-based foods such as beans, lentils, and
vegetables have relatively low carbon footprints. A climatarian diet uses this
information to select foods that positively impact climate change.
(Source: Our World in Data - Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Kilogram of Food Product)
▶ Quick summary: Carbon footprints by food
- Beef, lamb → highest emissions
- Potatoes, beans, lentils → almost
negligible
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Five Principles of a Climatarian Diet
―
(Source: The EAT-Lancet Commission)
The “Planetary Health Plate” recommends that half the plate be fruits and
vegetables, with the other half made up of whole grains, plant proteins, and
unsaturated fats. Red or other animal proteins are recommended only sparingly. (Source: The EAT-Lancet Commission)
UNEP and the EAT-Lancet Commission define “Sustainable
and Healthy Diets” as:
- Reduce meat consumption:
Especially carbon-heavy beef and lamb. Plant-based meat alternatives can
help.
- Switch to plant proteins:
Beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, nuts—think of it as “protein grown from
the earth.”
- Eat local & seasonal:
Choose ingredients that traveled by bicycle, not plane—produce straight
from a neighborhood farm is fresher and lower-carbon.
- Minimize food waste: Eat
what you buy, repurpose leftovers, embrace “zero waste.”
- Limit processed & imported foods: Reduce packaging and long-distance transport emissions.
To learn more about Can Meat Alternatives Help Halt Climate Change? |
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How to Become a Climatarian
―
Adopting a climatarian diet isn’t complicated or expensive. There are plenty of
easy, actionable habits:
- Meatless Monday: One
day a week without meat.
- Order plant-based meals when
dining out.
- Check for “local,” “seasonal,”
and “eco-friendly” labels when shopping.
- Use older ingredients first to
cut food waste.
Research at the University of Minnesota finds that if
the world halved its meat and dairy consumption and shifted to plant-based
diets, food-system greenhouse-gas emissions could fall by up to 73% by 2050.
To learn more about What is Climate Action? |
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Why Are Climatarian Diets Important?
―
▶ At a Glance: Why Climatarian?
- Food systems = roughly one-third
of global greenhouse gases
- Beef = water waste + methane +
environmental damage
Did you know about one-third of the greenhouse gases
trapping heat around our planet come from the food we eat? According to the
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), about 34% of global
emissions come from food systems, and livestock alone accounts for 14.5% (FAO,
2006)—more than aviation and shipping combined.
Producing 1 kg of beef requires 15,000 liters of
water—over 100 bathtubs’ worth! By contrast, the same amount of beans uses only
one-tenth as much water. (UNESCO Institute for Water Education).
Cattle and sheep also emit huge amounts of methane, a
greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than CO₂ (IPCC AR6, 2021). Our food choices
literally shape Earth’s temperature.
To learn more about water footprints, see: |
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Our Food Choices Change the System
―
Food = System
- What we eat is part of the
climate system, not just “food.”
- From production through waste,
it’s a complex, connected structure.
- Changing our diets is the first
step in transforming the entire system.
The Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2018 “Food
System Wheel” illustrates food’s ties to climate, water, soil, culture, and
policy—showing that choosing what to eat is like pressing a reset button on
agriculture, distribution, and the environment.
(Source: FAO, 2018)
At its core are three goals:
- Food Security:
Ensuring everyone has enough to eat.
- Nutrition:
Eating healthily and well.
- Sustainability:
Maintaining the system so that we—and future generations—can keep eating.
A climatarian is, in effect, a voter at the table:
“What I eat today” can reshape what’s farmed, sold, and protected tomorrow.
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Small Habits Decide Earth’s Tomorrow
―
(Source: greenmatters Instagram)
In an interview, Billie Eilish said, “If we want to change the world, we must
start with our daily lives.” She isn’t only a voice onstage—her choices at the
table are giving voice to the planet’s future. Just as her music speaks for her
generation’s feelings, her diet speaks for the Earth’s.
Becoming a climatarian isn’t just about eating more
vegetables—it’s a way to confess, in the language of daily life, what world you
stand for.
What choice will you make at your next meal?
Learn More Net Zero Is Our Planet’s Lifeline! Can Meat Alternatives Help Halt Climate Change? |
Written by: Sharon Choi
Director of Planning
Sunhak Peace Prize Secretariat
References & Sources
FAO. Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options. 2006
IPCC. AR6 Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.
UNEP. Food System Impacts on Biodiversity Loss. 2021
UNESCO Institute for Water Education. Water Footprint Network
EAT-Lancet Commission. Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems. 2019
Springmann et al. Health and climate change co-benefits of dietary change, PNAS, 2016
European Commission. Farm to Fork Strategy
ur World in Data. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Food Product
FAO. Sustainable Food Systems: Concept and Framework*. 2018
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