meat consumption
A new study claims that a global decline in meat-eating patterns by at least 75 percent could help beat climate change. Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany said that every citizen in the European Union consumes about 80 kilograms of meat per year, resulting in damage to livestock farming, the climate and the environment. They argued that there are good reasons to reduce the consumption of animal-based foods, as for example, ruminants (herbivorous mammals) produce methane, which accelerates global warming.
Animals also convert only a portion of the calories into meat. Therefore, to feed the same number of people, meat requires a much larger land area. This is harmful to ecosystems, as there is less space left for natural species to be protected.
In addition, eating too much meat is not healthy and can promote chronic diseases. “If all humans eat as much meat as Europeans or North Americans, we will certainly miss international climate targets and many ecosystems will collapse,” said Professor Dr. Matin Qaim from the Center for Development Research (ZEF).
“Therefore we need to reduce our meat consumption, ideally by 20 kg or less annually. The war in Ukraine and the resulting reduction in international markets for grain cereals also underscore that in order to support food security Animals should be fed less grain,” Kaim said.
Currently, about half of all grain produced worldwide is used as animal feed, Qaim said. At the same time, eating a completely vegetarian or vegan diet for humanity may not be the best solution, the researchers said.
This is because there are many areas where plant-based foods cannot be grown. Plant sources of high-quality protein and micronutrients are also lacking, especially in poor areas.
For many people, animals are also an important source of income. If income from milk, eggs and meat ends, it may threaten their livelihood.
In any case, poor countries are not the problem, the authors point out. For their residents, meat is usually far less on the menu than in industrialized countries. This means that wealthy countries in particular should reduce their meat consumption, the researchers said.
Qaim believes it’s important to consider the higher taxes on animal-based foods as well. The team also called for “sustainable consumption” to be increasingly integrated into the school curriculum. These materials should also be better incorporated in the training of future teachers.