Malta placed 32nd of 130 countries in carbon emissions due to its meat-based diet, a study on food consumption has revealed.
This is calculated using the amount of food supplied for consumption and how many kilos of CO2 per kilo are produced per person annually. This data is split between animal-based and non-animal-based diets.
The data looks at the amount of animal produce (pork, poultry, beef, lamb and goat, fish, eggs, and milk – including cheese) and non-animal produce (wheat and wheat products, rice, soybeans, nuts – including peanut butter), which is supplied for consumption in each country.
Read: Malta goes from EU's best to worst CO2 emissions performer
According to the study, conducted by Nu3, a company that produces healthy products, the Maltese make almost 600 kilograms of carbon emissions per person per year from the beef the island consumes. A total 121 kilos of CO2 are produced from the pork consumed, while 270 kilograms of carbon emissions come from the 190 kilos of milk and cheese products supplied per person each year.
It’s becoming increasingly harder to ignore the benefits of moving to a plant-based diet
On average, 34 kilograms of pork, 26 kilograms of poultry, 24.5 kilograms of fish, 19 kilograms of beef and 11 kilograms of eggs are consumed per person.
Using CO2 emissions data, the Maltese carbon footprint per capita is calculated for each food type. This allows a direct comparison of the CO2 produced for each food type, as well as between seven animal products and four non-animal products.
To determine the index’s final ranking, the difference between the average CO2 produced by eating one kilogram of animal product versus one kilogram of non-animal product was calculated.
This number reveals by how many kilos of CO2 individuals can reduce their carbon footprint yearly if they switch from an animal to a non-animal diet.
According to Robert Sünderhauf, the CEO at Nu3, fish and poultry have a far lower CO2 emission rate than fatty red meats such as lamb and beef, while eggs produce a significantly lower emission rate than milk products and cheese.
“With this study revealing how switching diets could drastically reduce our carbon footprint, it’s becoming increasingly harder to ignore the benefits of moving to a plant-based diet, both for our health and our planet,” he said.