Certain food or fruits are instrumental to our climate change goals. They are in-roads to ending emissions.
A director at the Oxford Martin Programme on Food Sustainability, Joseph Poore researched the environmental impacts of global agriculture and how to reduce these impacts.
He shares his thoughts with The BBC as summarised here:
As it where, global agriculture significantly contributes to climate change, accounting for a quarter of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions that has transposed continents including Africa as well.
However, an emerging concept is gaining attention: carbon-negative foods—those that remove more carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere than they emit during production. By incorporating these foods into our diets, we can mitigate climate change and restore ecosystems.
The Promise of Carbon-Negative Foods
As plants grow, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. However, when consumed by humans or animals, much of this carbon is released back into the air. For a food to be truly carbon-negative, its production must involve permanently storing carbon in soil, trees, or the deep ocean. Below are examples of carbon-negative foods and farming practices that can reshape our food systems:
The Role of Kelp and Macroalgae
Kelp absorbs CO2 as it grows. When parts of kelp sink to the ocean floor, some carbon is sequestered. Locally sourced kelp can be carbon-negative if its supply chain is efficient, with minimal transportation and processing. Restoring kelp forests—vast underwater ecosystems—offers additional environmental benefits.
Methane-Oxidising Bacteria
These bacteria consume methane, a greenhouse gas 30 times more potent than CO2. They can be used to produce protein powders and meat substitutes. Consuming these products transforms methane into CO2, reducing overall emissions. Although not widely available, innovations like bacterial protein-based ice cream have entered niche markets.
Peatland Crops
Blueberries, cranberries, and celery grown on wetted peatlands store organic carbon faster than it decomposes, potentially making them carbon-negative. However, their supply chains, often involving plastic packaging and global transport, need reform for true carbon efficiency.
Tree nuts, olives, and citrus absorb CO2 as they grow. Each kilogram of nuts, for example, can remove 1.3 kg of CO2 from the atmosphere. Planting more trees on croplands not only sequesters carbon but also offers long-term storage when the wood is used in durable products.
Regenerative Farming Practices
Techniques like no-till farming and planting hedgerows enhance soil carbon storage. Some products, such as regeneratively farmed wheat and carbon-negative beer, already claim climate benefits. However, such practices are less effective for high-emission foods like beef, which require vast amounts of land.
Carbon Labelling: A Path to Awareness
Identifying carbon-negative foods remains a challenge due to the complexity of supply chains. However, carbon labelling initiatives in countries like New Zealand and France aim to quantify emissions across product lifecycles. Once fully implemented, these labels will empower consumers to make informed choices.
Transitioning from land-intensive foods like beef to plant-based options can have a profound impact. For instance, beef requires 100 square meters of land per 100 grams of protein, compared to just 5 square meters for beans or tofu. By sparing land, we allow forests and grasslands to regenerate, capturing significant amounts of carbon.
A global shift away from animal-based foods could restore 3.1 billion hectares of farmland—an area the size of the U.S., China, and the European Union combined.
This change could remove 8 billion tonnes of carbon annually for a century, transforming the planet and making diets carbon-negative.
Shift!
