1. Environmental impacts of our menus.
Sanderine Nonhebel

6. Production of food puts large claim on environment
It uses:
30 % of the land
70 % of the fresh water
20 % of the energy

7. Production of food puts large claim on environment
Is major cause for
Deforestation
Eutrophication
Acidification
Erosion
Desiccation
Decline biodiversity

8. Food causes the largest environmental impact of our total consumption
However, stop consuming food is not an option.

9. Huge challenge:
Enough healthy food for the global population, without destroying the global environment.

10. Can we reduce the environmental impact of our food by changing our consumption pattern?

12. Consumption pattern rich part global population (1 billion)

13. Consumption pattern other 6 billion people

14. Consumption patterns change…

19. What is the environmental impact of individual food items?

20. Method: chain analysis

26. Typical values resource use food items
Energy MJ/kg
Land m2/kg
Water
l/kg
Vegetables 5
0,2
100
Bread 18
1,1
600
Potatoes 2 80
Rice 20 3
3000
Veg. oil 30 10
Meat 90 12
8000
Milk
1,3
Coffee 38 16
17000

27. Resource use in food
Gerbens-Leenes & Nonhebel 2002

28. A luxurious diet requires more resources than a basic one.
Wheat as livestock feed (5 kg of wheat for 1 kg of meat)
More energy for growing, storing, transport preparation
More packaging

31. Cropland requirements Cropland requirements [million hectares/year]
Global
Food supply
[kcal/cap/day]
Food availability increases
Land requirements pp decline
Land for food increases
Cropland requirements
[m²/cap/year]
Cropland requirements
[million hectares/year]
Source: Kastner T, Ibarrola Rivas MJ, Koch W, Nonhebel S (2012) Global changes in diets and the consequences for land requirements for food. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Available at:

32. Cropland requirements Cropland requirements [million hectares/year]
Western
Europe
Food supply
[kcal/cap/day]
Food availability increases slightly
Land requirements pp decline
Land for food drops
Cropland requirements
[m²/cap/year]
Sugar, alcoholic beverages , veg oils 30 %
Meat 30%
Coffee, tea!!
Cropland requirements
[million hectares/year]
Source: Kastner T, Ibarrola Rivas MJ, Koch W, Nonhebel S (2012) Global changes in diets and the consequences for land requirements for food. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Available at:

33. Cropland requirements Cropland requirements [million hectares/year]
Middle
Africa
Food supply
[kcal/cap/day]
Food availability declines
Land requirements pp decline
Large increase landuse
Cropland requirements
[m²/cap/year]
Diet cereals tubers and pulses
Very little meat
Cropland requirements
[million hectares/year]
Source: Kastner T, Ibarrola Rivas MJ, Koch W, Nonhebel S (2012) Global changes in diets and the consequences for land requirements for food. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Available at:

34. assignment
Determine how much land, water and energy use is required for these two menus.

35. More detailed ingredient information needed.

36. values resource use various vegetables
Energy MJ/kg
Land m2/kg
Water
l/kg
open air 5
0.2
100
glasshouse 50
0.1
dried 43 9
800

37. values resource use various meat types
Energy MJ/kg
Land m2/kg
Water
l/kg
beef
110 19
8000
chicken 86 6
2000
pork 12
5000

38. Good luck

39. water
energie
land
potatoes
1500
120 3
0,3
cabbage
600 60
0,12
sausage
300
25,8
3,6
margerine 50
150
1,5
0,5
total
1830
33,3
4,52

40. water
energie
land
rice
300
900 6
0,9
cashew nuts
200
2000 9 2
dried tomatoes
100 80
4,3
cheese
1200 20
2,6
spinace
400 40
0,04
total
4220
59,3
6,44

41. Becoming a vegetarian is not going to save this world.
(sorry)