Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
5th International Health Science and Life Congress, Burdur, Türkiye, 10 - 12 Mart 2022, ss.228
The environment is affected by people’s food choices considerably. However, most consumers
are not aware of the environmental impact of food production and consumption. The food
production sector has a high impact in terms of carbon footprint. Reducing greenhouse gas
(GHG) emission asks for raising awareness of people about climate change risks, for improving
production technologies and for changing consumer's behavior. The GHG emission is mainly
due to the livestock with regard to the farming. Actually, the food accounts for 31% of the total
GHG emission in Europe. Food consumption causes significant GHG emission. Behavior
changing of people’s food consumption can provide for lowering GHG emission. In other
words, impelling consumer’s behavior towards a more sustainable and climate-conscious
buying attitude could play a key role on reducing global GHG emission. In many studies shows
that the consumers with a lack of knowledge with regards to product related environmental
problems and to the environmental impact of their purchasing choices. In this respect, opinions
and manners of people about climate change must be advanced and altering the habits of buying
habits must be provided through correct information and communication. At the same time
climate neutral production techniques must be taken on by the economic system for bringing to
carbon free products to the market. The ‘carbon’ characteristics of these products must be
remarked in the labelling chart to inform of the consumers to make more climate conscious
decisions. Moreover, the new approaches for people’s understanding of the environmental
friendliness of food choices should help to inform people about the impacts of food production
from field to table and support behavior change to reduce carbon footprint.
Key words: Climate change, environmentally friendly, greenhouse gas emission, food choices.