For the first time, the Danish government has added guidance to the country’s official dietary guidelines on how consumers can eat in a more climate-friendly way. The Danish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Rasmus Prehn, presented them a few days ago.
“The official dietary guidelines have been giving good advice on how we can eat healthily for decades, and it is important now to take the next step and help Danes eat in a more climate-friendly way too. There is no raised finger, but a simple guide, because fortunately, what is healthy for the climate is usually also healthy for us. It is therefore important that dietary guidelines take into account the health of the planet,” says Rasmus Prehn.
On average, Danes emit just over eight kilos of CO2 per capita per day from beverages and food. The total is about three tons per year. According to the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), this can be reduced by up to 35% by reducing meat consumption and choosing climate-friendly foods. So the potential for changing Danes’ eating habits is great.
“There is a lot to gain on the green account if you think about the climate when you eat. Fortunately, many of us want to do that, and that’s why I’m very glad that anyone interested can now get some help with the new dietary guidelines. It’s not necessarily about completely changing your diet. Even small changes for individuals can make a big difference if there are many of us doing it,” comments Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Dan Jørgensen.
The new official dietary guidelines are part of the government’s efforts to reduce Denmark’s climate footprint by 70% by 2030. For more information, visit www.fvm.dk (English-language setting available).