New Dietary Recommendations to fight Global Warming

The United Nation´s International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued a new report, “Dietary Recommendations to Reduce Green House Gas Emissions”. The report was written as a direct response to the United States´ government dietary recommendations. These are estimated to increase greenhouse gas emissions by 11 % versus today´s American diet. On the other hand, the IPCC dietary recommendations yield an 11 % emissions reduction versus today´s diet, and a whopping 20 % reduction versus the USA recommended guidelines.

US Government Food Pyramid

 requiring  changes to fight global warming

The IPCC nutrition guidelines report is a cooperative effort by 540 scientists from 25 nations, who achieved a 97 % consensus over its contents. Lead authors Dr. Zbigniew Dnivorski from Warsaw´s Kielbasa Institute and Dr. Zhāng Min from Taiwan´s International Culinary Arts School, held a brief science communications event in Dallas, Texas, to publicize their findings.  

Dr Dnivorski emphasized: “The take home message is the US government´s health agenda for the population isn´t aligned with the need to reduce greenhouse emissions. Our suggested guidelines yield a 44 million ton/year reduction in CO2 emissions, equivalent to 0.001 parts per million reduction in global emissions. This delays the point in time when we will reach the 2 degree C  increase in temperature  by 5 minutes”.

Current  diet (3.6 kg CO2 per American), 

the USA Recommended  (4,0 kg CO2 per American), 

and the IPCC diet (3.2 kg CO2 per American). 

Taken from Zhāng,  Dnivorski, et al 2014. 

Dr. Zhāng concluded the sessions by saying “The new dietary guidelines do require a significant increase in egg and candy consumption, while they almost eliminate fish, fruits and vegetables from the American diet. However, the climate benefits are enormous, and the adverse effects can be offset with health care subsidies”.

The new IPCC dietary guidelines, while somewhat controversial, are aligned with the Small Island Nations Union´s drive to reduce global emissions. This group of 82 nations represents over 20 million third world inhabitants who face enormous risks due to sea level rise and super typhoon threats. 

The Union´s President, Dr. Francisco Rodriguez Marquez from Kiribati, pointed out “We fully support these changes in the American diet. Their lifestyle is contrary to our economic interests, and don´t forget to add we need aid to offset their emissions. I´m sure Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) will argue these guidelines are unacceptable, but I already talked to Dr. John P. Holdren, the President´s Science Advisor, and he assured me he will have the EPA issue regulations to force Americans to eat the IPCC way”.

Senator Mitch McConnell (Rep-Ky), 

leader of the Climate Denier Wing , 

USA  Senate (photo from Yahoo News)

Positive comments were also heard from Ban Ki Moon, the UN´s Secretary General, who plans to introduce the dietary  guidelines into the Anti Global Warming Treaty he hopes will be signed next year. Others strongly supporting the guidelines are Greenpeace, the American Poultry Association, the International Meteorological Association, and the Mars Company, manufacturer of M&M candies.

Chickens  alarmed by the IPCC recommendation

 to triple poultry and egg consumption