Reducing sugar consumption is linked to meaningful benefits for climate action and the recovery from health and economic crises tied to the coronavirus pandemic. This summary comes from a study by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), highlighting climate and sustainability co-benefits alongside improved human health when global sugar use is reduced.
The study, titled Sugar taxes for climate and sustainability goals and published in Nature Sustainability, argues that environmental targets can align with post-pandemic recovery through thoughtful policy choices. It calls for creative political solutions to accelerate progress.
Researchers note that sugar crops are among the least efficient for human consumption but among the most efficient for biofuel production. The analysis examines how redirecting existing sugar croplands to alternative uses can yield sustainability co-benefits by lowering sugar-driven demand and increasing bioenergy opportunities.
According to the results, emissions could drop by roughly 20.9 to 54.3 million tonnes of CO2 per year if the European Union reduces sugar consumption in line with health guidelines and if surplus Brazilian sugarcane is directed toward ethanol production. Some scenarios even show emissions reductions doubling or quadrupling.
Increase sugar taxes
The study estimates that the potential savings from such policies would be about four times larger than an alternative approach that relies on reforesting existing sugar beet farmland in the EU. In the ICTA-UAB report, authors Lewis C. King and Jeroen van den Bergh suggest that ethanol production from beet sugar could double within the European Union.
Achieving these outcomes through policies that promote behavior change is central to the message. Sugar taxes could reduce environmental impacts from biofuels while also delivering health and economic benefits, according to the research summary.[Citation: Nature Sustainability, 2023]
The study notes that a EU-Brazil agreement focused on sugar production from beet and the shift of Brazilian sugarcane toward ethanol would deliver the greatest environmental gains for society. Ethanol from sugar cane has already proven to be an economically viable alternative in Brazil, and the analysis suggests only modest effects on farmers in both regions. This would support a fair specialization among nations that can improve welfare by reducing negative externalities.
“It’s a clear example of how cross-border collaboration can steer society toward greater sustainability”, remarks Jeroen van den Bergh.
Similar approach to tobacco use
The researchers propose that lowering sugar intake could follow a path similar to the EU’s successful efforts to curb tobacco use over the last decade: education and policies that drive behavior change with supportive tax measures. The University notes a pivotal role for taxes in enabling meaningful change.
They point out that sugar taxes have shown effectiveness and political appeal in countries like the United Kingdom, offering a promising tool to indirectly advance climate goals while improving public health. Sugar taxation could reduce use across manufacturing sectors, including beverages, further extending environmental benefits.
Furthermore, policy design should consider impacts across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Sugar, while a source of energy in certain forms, is often less efficient for human food use and highly efficient for biofuel in terms of net energy, according to the paper’s first author, Lewis C. King.
EU consumption accounts for about 12 percent of the world’s sugar. While most EU sugar still comes from beets, market indicators point to a rising share of sugarcane in the coming years.
A purchase that aims for low sugar consumption
Sugars provide essential energy, with some forms like glucose supporting the function of vital organs such as the heart and brain. Carbohydrates from starchy foods also supply glucose for the body.
However, scientific evidence supports EU guidance to minimize added and free sugar intake. The European Food Safety Authority advocates keeping sugar intake as low as possible while maintaining a nutritionally adequate diet. [Citation: EFSA guidance, EU, 2021–2023]
Excessive sugar intake is linked to conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental caries, cardiovascular disease, liver issues, and higher cholesterol. Ongoing research continues to map the relationships between sugar consumption and health outcomes. This has driven policy debates about recommendations and taxation strategies to curb consumption and improve public health outcomes.
Notes from the referenced study are aligned with a broader goal of sustainable policy design, which emphasizes reducing health risks while delivering environmental and economic benefits across regions. The Nature Sustainability report serves as a reference point for ongoing dialogue about sugar policy and sustainability pathways.