Towards a More Sustainable Urban Food System-Carbon Emissions Assessment of a Diet Transition with the FEWprint Platform

The production, processing, and transportation of food, in particular animal-based products, imposes great environmental burden on the planet. The current food supply system often constitutes a considerable part of the total carbon emissions of urban communities in industrialised cities. Urban food production (UFP) is a method that can potentially diminish food emissions. In parallel, a shift towards a predominantly plant-based diet that meets the nutritional protein intake is an effective method to curtail carbon emissions from food. Considering the high land use associated with the production of animal-based products, such a shift will prompt a community food demand that is more inclined to be satisfied with local production. Therefore, during the design process of a future low-carbon city, the combined application of both methods is worth exploring. This work introduces, describes, and demonstrates the diet shift component of the FEWprint platform, a user friendly UFP assessment platform for designers that is constructed around the broader three-pronged strategy of evaluation, shift, and design. For three neighborhoods, in Amsterdam, Belfast, and Detroit, the contextual consumption and country-specific environmental footprint data are applied to simulate a theoretical community-wide diet shift from a conventional to a vegan diet, whilst maintaining protein intake equilibrium. The results show that in total terms, the largest carbon mitigation potential awaits in Detroit (-916 kg CO(2)eq/cap/year), followed by Belfast (-866 kg) and Amsterdam (-509 kg). In relative terms, the carbon reduction potential is largest in Belfast (-25%), followed by Amsterdam (-15%) and Detroit (-7%). The FEWprint can be used to generate preliminary figures on the carbon implications of dietary adaptations and can be employed to give a first indication of the potential of UFP in urban communities.

Automated summary

The production, processing, and transportation of food, especially animal-based products, have a significant environmental impact. Urban food production and a shift towards a plant-based diet are effective methods to reduce food carbon emissions. This study simulated a theoretical community-wide diet shift in three neighborhoods and found that Detroit has the largest carbon reduction potential.