Graphic detail | Food and climate change

A different way to measure the climate impact of food

Meet The Economist’s banana index

EATING A JUICY steak is worse for the environment than frying up some tofu: that much should come as no surprise. Going vegan can dramatically cut the carbon footprint of your diet. But what about the fewer calories, and lower levels of protein, found in most plant-based foods when compared with meat? That makes it hard to compare emissions of meals that are equally nutritious.

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Riding high: The lessons of America’s astonishing economy

From the April 15th 2023 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

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