Plant-Rich Diet Shift Could Cut Agricultural Land-Use Emissions 76% by 2050, Cornell-Led Study Finds

A study led by Cornell University found that a shift towards healthier and more sustainable diets by 2050 could result in a 76% reduction in net CO₂ emissions from agriculture-related land-use change. This transformation scenario compared to a business-as-usual pathway by 2050 would also lead to a significant decrease in livestock numbers, freeing up farmland. The research, which builds on the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission report, highlights the potential to prevent premature deaths and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by adopting a flexitarian Planetary Health Diet.

The study involved running ten global food system models, all of which showed that continuing on the current path would lead to higher environmental pressure. By redirecting a greater share of crops to direct human consumption rather than animal feed, the transformation scenario could reduce global agricultural land use by 9% and the value of livestock production by 60% by 2050. While the costs of this shift may concentrate in rural economies reliant on livestock, the health and environmental gains would benefit a wider population. The researchers emphasize the need for coherent food and agricultural policies and stakeholder dialogue to address the structural challenges in the agricultural sector and cushion the regions and workers most exposed to the transition.