Greenhouse gas emissions related to Peruvian dietary patterns based on the national household survey in the period 2008–2022

Food consumption has shown to represent an important fraction of GHG emissions in most countries worldwide. However, food consumption behavior is highly heterogeneous and depends on numerous variables, including affordability and availability of different food categories and products. The main objective of the current study was to analyze changes in GHG emissions linked to Peruvian dietary patterns and analyze their geographical and temporal variability, using household survey data for the period 2008–2022. From a methodological standpoint, the model estimated apparent household food consumption, as well as food away from home, food obtained from charities, and food loss and waste quantification, to provide an in-depth depiction of Peruvian diets. Diets were then estimated based on geographical location, socioeconomic groups, and the Peruvian average diet. Results show that GHG emissions have remained stable during the period analyzed (1126 kg CO2eq/person/year on average), with a peak attained in 2014 (1236 kg CO2eq/person/year) after years of economic growth and substantial decreases in the poverty rate. Thereafter, carbon emissions have dwindled based on increasing poverty levels, and a gradual substitution of beef for chicken meat, although heterogeneous patterns can be observed among regions. It was estimated that by 2022 an additional 1401 kt CO2eq per year would be emitted to guarantee that those living in poverty or extreme poverty conditions reach daily minimum caloric requirements. The uncertainty of the results, a comparison of these to those of other countries around the world, and potential improvement actions to attain healthier low carbon emission diets are also discussed.