Climate impact of food miles three times greater than previously believed, study finds

Researchers estimate that carbon emissions from transporting food are about 6% of the global total, with fruit and vegetables the largest contributor

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Transporting food from where it is produced to our dinner plates creates at least triple the amount of greenhouse gas emissions as previously estimated, a new study suggests.

So called food miles" are likely responsible for about 6% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, the authors of the study found after calculating that 3bn tonnes of CO₂-equivalent was produced in transporting food for human consumption each year.

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