This paper reviews estimates of food related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the global, regional and national levels, highlighting both GHG-intensive stages in the food chain, and GHG-intensive food types.

This paper, Gilbert P, Thornley P and Riche A B (2011).  The influence of organic and inorganic fertiliser application rates on UK biomass crop sustainability Biomass and Bioenergy, in press, highlights firstly, the GHG reduction potential of producing biomass (willow or miscanthus) as a substitute for natural gas and secondly, the need to consider environmental impacts other than just GHGs (in this case eutrophication and acidification).   The study finds that there are substantial GHG benefits to be had from growing biofuels as a substitute for gas.

This paper is by some of the same authors who wrote a paper for Friend of the Earth (see mailing of 23/10/10) which modelled the health impact of a lower meat diet. You can read the FoE report here. The FOE report essentially argues that a lower meat diet would deliver major health improvements largely because it assumes that a reduction in meat intakes will be compensated for by an increase in fruit and vegetables – which of course may or may not be the case.