Foods differ vastly in terms of the quantity of land, water, and energy needed per unit of energy and protein ultimately consumed, and in terms of their greenhouse gas impacts (see chart). Although the data in the protein scorecard, and in the chart, are global means for current agricultural production—masking variations among locations, production systems, and farm management practices—they enable general comparisons across food types.
Unlike many other studies, the comparison of food types in the protein scorecard and the chart incorporates both land used for pasture and greenhouse gas emissions associated with changes in land use, using the GlobAgri-WRR model.
