Scientists from a Swiss university have created the diet they believe the Swiss should be eating by 2030, if the country wants to achieve its climate goals. The diet suggests that people in Switzerland should consume just 50 grams of meat per day, as well as 250 grams of vegetables, 230 grams of fruit and a significant reduction in the consumption of Switzerland’s liquid gold - milk.
Though the new dietary guidelines may sound drastic, researchers say it is necessary. Lukas Fesenfeld, from the Centre for Climate Research at the University of Bern told Watson: "It's the only way to achieve the UN's sustainability goals.”
The diet involves increasing the consumption of cereals, vegetables, fruits and nuts, while cutting down on eggs, sugar, meat and milk. In fact, the study called for people in the alpine nation to reduce milk product consumption by 42 percent, and meat consumption by half.
“With our current eating behaviour, we are exceeding planetary limits and endangering food security, which is why prompt action is required,” Fesenfeld stated. That is why, in collaboration with 40 experts from around the world, he created the new guidelines for food, hoping to educate people about sustainable diets.
To make the change possible, Fesenfeld and his fellow researchers have proposed several measures they believe the Swiss government should take - and recommend they do so quickly. By 2025, they said the government should have a “transformation fund” set up to help farmers convert their businesses from animal farming to cultivating plant-based crops.
The researchers also said that new taxes and regulations should be applied from 2025, such as higher import duties on meat as well as a ban on the promotions of meat in stores.
However, it must be noted that similar parliamentary interventions have failed miserably in the past, so it is unlikely the plans would garner much support this time around. According to the Swiss Farmers Union (USP), the plans are unrealistic too. “Given the current development, it is doubtful that the Swiss will reduce their meat consumption so massively in such a short period of time,” the union told Watson.
The Swiss government showed reservations, too. Federal Councillor and Minister of Agriculture Guy Parmelin said that politicians would study the recommendations “with interest” and take them into account. However, it is unlikely any major changes will come about through the new research, as the Swiss government has already stressed that food sustainability is only really viable around the year 2050.