Sustainability is balancing the needs of people, profit, and the planet for a positive impact.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations describes a sustainable food system as one that delivers food security and nutritious foods for populations in a way that does not impact future generations [1].

The FAO describes the components of sustainable diets as multifactorial, yet accessible (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Components of a sustainable diet [2]

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified that population-level dietary shifts towards balanced, sustainable and healthy diets is an important solution for climate change.

Water, energy, land use, loss of biodiversity and a range of other impacts must all be considered to fully understand environmentally-sustainable food systems.

Some common environmental indicators include:

• Carbon footprint – measured by emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG)

• Land footprint – characterised by land use and stress

• Water footprint – characterised by water scarcity.

The nut industry aspires to lead nut farming and production into a sustainable future for the planet, by continuing to give people access to healthy, nutritious, and safe nuts and nut products.

Fast facts

• Food and agriculture impact the environment. The food supply chain is responsible for around a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, and uses about 70% of the world’s freshwater supplies and nearly 40% of global land [3].

• Eating in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines could result in a 42% lower climate footprint, compared to the current average Australian adult [4].

• The largest food-related GHG emissions per capita come from high-income countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia [5].

• If global food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, behind the United States and China [6].

• Australians throw away >$10 billion worth of edible food (20% of groceries) every year [7]. And food waste is estimated to contribute 6% of Australia’s total food-related GHG emissions [8].

• Australia uses around 2,600 gigalitres of water (that’s five times the volume of water in the Sydney Harbour) to grow food that is then wasted [9].

• Around one third (27-33%) of the total food-related greenhouse gas emissions in Australia and New Zealand are due to discretionary foods [5].

• Discretionary foods contribute the most, at around 25%, to the total ‘water scarcity footprint’ of Australian adult diets [10].

• The Planetary Health Reference Diet, developed by the EAT-Lancet Commission, recommends plant-based foods, such as nuts and legumes, make up 80% of the total amount of the ‘protein’ food group [11].

• Red meat and animal-based alternatives (poultry, fish/seafood, and eggs) contribute 87% to the total servings consumed within the ‘protein’ food group of the current Australian Dietary Guidelines. Plant foods (nuts and legumes) contribute just 13% [12].

• The Mediterranean diet, which includes nuts, has been described as an achievable dietary pattern for Australians, with health and environmental benefits [13].

Did you know? An international research team has highlighted how tree crops (such as apple, cherry, olives, nuts, coffee, and cacao) uniquely support the environment. With their permanent root systems and extensive leaf litter, they help prevent soil erosion and enhance soil fertility, and provide habitats for many species year-round. Tree crops also contribute to GHG reduction through carbon sequestration, improve habitat connectivity for fragmented ecosystems, and buffer protected areas from the impacts of intensive agriculture.