Healthy Futures: Connecting Diet, Health and Climate Action

The impact of what we eat reaches far beyond our plates—it’s about a healthier future for people and planet

At Healthy Futures, we believe that what we eat has a profound impact on our health and the health of our planet. This campaign explores the role of plant-based diets in promoting wellness and environmental resilience. By reducing the reliance on animal agriculture, plant-based eating helps lower greenhouse gas emissions, conserve resources and protect biodiversity—essential steps in climate action.

Through education, community engagement and advocacy, we aim to empower people to make informed food choices that benefit both people and the planet.

2. Why Plant-Based Diets Matter

Animal agribusiness is a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss and chronic health issues like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers (1). It also disproportionately impacts food-insecure communities—those where people struggle to access enough nutritious food—exacerbating health disparities and limiting opportunities for a healthy life. Adopting a plant-based diet can help address issues by reducing emissions, conserving resources and supporting better health outcomes.

3. Our Commitment to Health and Sustainability

Healthy Futures is a grassroots network of healthcare workers, students and community members dedicated to climate action. Guided by healthcare professionals who witness daily the profound impacts of diet and climate on health, we signed the Plant-Based Treaty, to promote sustainable, health-focused food systems. Their insights have shown us that plant-based diets offer a powerful, dual solution—supporting individual health while also protecting the environment. Together, we are working toward a future where plant-based diets support both personal health and environmental resilience.

4. Evidence-Based Health and Environmental Benefits

Health Benefits

Research has found that plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of chronic illnesses, including heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, when part of a healthy lifestyle (1). Diets rich in whole, plant-based foods provide essential nutrients and antioxidants that may protect against these diseases, improve cardiovascular health and support weight management (2). Additionally, plant-based diets can reduce the need for antibiotics in food production, potentially lowering antimicrobial resistance—a key factor in preventing the spread of infections (3). Research also suggests that reducing animal agriculture could lower the risk of future pandemics, as industrial farming is a known factor in the emergence of new infectious diseases (4).

Environmental Benefits

Switching to a plant-based diet is one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Studies by the IPCC have found that animal agriculture contributes heavily to methane emissions, which has a high global warming potential. These diets also require fewer resources and conserve land, water and energy while preserving biodiversity by reducing the need for habitat destruction to create grazing land.

Key Research Sources

Healthy Futures’ commitment to evidence-based advocacy is supported by research from leading global health and environmental authorities, including:

The Lancet – Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems

The AT-Lancet Commission's report, "Food in the Anthropocene", outlines how adopting plant-rich diets can improve human health while reducing environmental degradation. It emphasises the need for systemic changes to align dietary habits with planetary boundaries (5).

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) – Food Systems and Climate Change

The IPCC highlights the role of food systems in greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. Its Special Report on Climate Change and Land emphasises plant-based diets as a critical tool for reducing methane emissions and conserving resources (6).

WHO (World Health Organization) – Plant-Rich Diets and Antimicrobial Resistance

WHO identifies plant-rich diets as a pathway to better health outcomes and reduced reliance on antibiotics in food production, which helps combat antimicrobial resistance—a key factor in global public health (7).

5. What Needs to Change

Achieving a sustainable food system in Australia requires making plant-based foods accessible and appealing to everyone, especially to those in underserved areas. Initiatives like food hubs and community gardens in areas like Brimbank and Dandenong can provide affordable, nutritious options where they’re needed most. Healthy Futures engages healthcare professionals and local residents to map food needs in their neighborhoods, with a particular focus on Brimbank, creating a tailored approach to plant-based advocacy. This community-led model ensures that solutions are relevant, culturally appropriate and capable of making a meaningful impact.

6. Be Part of a Healthier Future

You can contribute to a more sustainable and health-focused future by taking small steps:

Try Plant-Based Meals: Add plant-based foods to your weekly meal plan. Explore easy plant-based recipes
Learn More About Plant-Based Nutrition: Discover the health benefits of a plant-based diet and how it can improve your health. Read The Lancet's EAT-Lancet Commission report on healthy diets and sustainability
Support Local Initiatives: Get involved in community gardens and food hubs, and consider talking with local hospitals and health networks about expanding plant-based options for inpatients. Find a community garden near you
Sign the Plant-Based Treaty: join us in advocating for health-centred, sustainable food systems. Sign the Plant-Based Treaty

Sources

Tuso, P. J., Ismail, M. H., Ha, B. P., & Bartolotto, C. (2013). Nutritional update for physicians: Plant-based diets. The Permanente Journal, 17(2), 61–66. https://doi.org/10.7812/tpp/12-085
Satija, A., & Hu, F. B. (2018). Plant-based diets and cardiovascular health. Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine, 28(7), 437–441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcm.2018.02.004
Van Boeckel, T. P., et al. (2019). Global trends in antimicrobial resistance in animals in low- and middle-income countries. Science, 365(6459). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw1944
Jones, B. A., et al. (2013). Zoonosis emergence linked to agricultural intensification and environmental change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(21), 8399–8404. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1208059110
EAT-Lancet Commission. (2019). Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet. Retrieved from https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). (2019). Special Report on Climate Change and Land: Food Security and Agriculture. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/chapter/chapter-5/
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Antimicrobial resistance in the food chain. WHO. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/antimicrobial-resistance-in-the-food-chain