Younger people cause the most climate damage through their eating habits.
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Teenagers and young adults aged 11 to 29 have the most climate-damaging diets per person worldwide, according to a major international study that examined eating habits across nearly two decades.
The research, published in the journal Nature Food, analyzed dietary data from 149 countries between 2000 and 2019. Scientists examined 22 age groups and 141 food categories by combining information from the Global Dietary Database with emissions data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It is considered the most comprehensive study of its kind to date.
Researchers found that teenagers aged 11 to 19 and young adults aged 20 to 29 generate the highest food-related greenhouse gas emissions per person in almost every region of the world, with the exception of southern Africa and parts of Oceania. Children produce the lowest emissions because they require fewer calories.
The study says the higher climate impact comes from both greater calorie needs and food choices. Young people tend to consume more meat, dairy products, sugary drinks and heavily processed foods than other age groups. Red meat, especially beef and lamb, was identified as the single biggest contributor to rising food-related emissions worldwide.
Although younger people have the highest emissions per person, the study found that adults over 60 are responsible for an increasing share of total food-related emissions globally. Researchers explained that this is not because older people are eating less sustainably, but because populations are aging and there are simply more seniors than before, particularly in high-income regions such as North America, Western Europe and Japan.
The findings highlight a growing challenge for policymakers. Experts say reducing food-related emissions while still meeting the nutritional needs of younger people will require encouraging healthier, more sustainable diets without compromising growth, physical activity or overall health.