Major study also finds huge changes to farming are needed to avoid destroying Earth’s ability to feed its population

Huge reductions in meat-eating are essential to avoid dangerous climate change, according to the most comprehensive analysis yet of the food system’s impact on the environment. In western countries, beef consumption needs to fall by 90% and be replaced by five times more beans and pulses.

  • pooh [she/her, any]
    ·
    4 years ago

    I think the article (and the study it's based on) are more concerned with what needs to be done, rather than how it should be done. I'm pretty sure most people involved with this research understand that leaving it purely up to individual choice is a lost cause, and that government intervention will be required. Relevant quote from one of the authors of the study:

    All the diet and farming options are already being implemented in somewhere in the world, said Springmann. In the Netherlands and Israel, fertilisers and water are being better used, while big cuts in meat consumption are being seen among young people in some cities.

    But a global change is needed, he said: “I think we can do it, but we really need much more proactive governments to provide the right framework. People can make a personal difference by changing their diet, but also by knocking on the doors of their politicians and saying we need better environmental regulations – that is also very important. Do not let politicians off the hook.”