Abstract
The Mediterranean region is increasingly water scarce, with the food system being the largest driver of water use. We calculate the water resources related to food consumption in nine major Mediterranean countries, by means of the water footprint (WF), for the existing situation (period 2011-2013) as well as the Mediterranean and EAT-Lancet diets. We account for different food intake requirements according to gender and six age groups. These nine countries – Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco - represent 88% of the population of all countries bordering the Mediterranean. As first major observation, we find that the EAT-Lancet diet, a scientifically optimised diet for both nutrition and certain environmental indicators, requires less water resources than the Mediterranean diet, a culturally accepted diet within the region. In terms of water resources use, adherence to the former is thus more beneficial than adherence to the latter. As second major observation, we find that the EAT-Lancet diet reduces the current WF for all nations consistently, within the range -17% to -48%, whereas the Mediterranean diet reduces the WF of the European countries, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco within the range of -4% to -35%. For the Maghreb countries Tunisia and Algeria, the Mediterranean diet WF is slightly higher compared to the current WF and the proportions of food product groups differ. Such dietary shifts would be important parts of the solution to obtain the sustainable use of water resources in Mediterranean countries.
Highlights
Many people in the Mediterranean region already face moderate to high water stress, especially during summer months (Mekonnen and Hoekstra, 2016)
We calculate the water resources related to food consumption in nine major Mediterranean countries, by means of the water footprint (WF), for the existing situation as well as the Mediterranean and EATLancet diets
We find that the EAT-Lancet diet, a scientifically optimised diet for both nutrition and certain environmental indicators, requires less water resources than the Mediterranean diet, a culturally accepted diet within the region
Summary
Many people in the Mediterranean region already face moderate to high water stress, especially during summer months (Mekonnen and Hoekstra, 2016). Modelling studies have shown that dietary changes are required to improve the health of humanity while at the same time keeping the food system within planetary boundaries, including the boundary for water (Springmann et al, 2018; Willett et al, 2019). Achieving both the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). On food security and SDG 6 on water security in a water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus (Vanham et al, 2019) context requires shifts to diets that are both nutritious and sustainable (FAO and WHO, 2019). Water-related losses in agriculture, health, income, and property could result in a decline by as much as 6%
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