Reducing animal agriculture would significantly impact emissions targets. Therefore, our global meat consumption must peak by 2030, and then drop significantly.
A new letter from scientists in the Lancet Planetary Health Journal says that globally we need to reach “peak meat” by 2030 to fight climate change. This means our global meat consumption must peak by 2030, and then drop significantly. According to the scientists, because meat and dairy is such a significant portion of emissions, countries must create a scheme to reduce livestock production. The letter was signed by 50 experts.
Helen Harwatt, lead author of the letter and an environmental social scientist at Harvard Law School told CNN, “The reduction we need means we need deep transformation in every sector. To reduce to 1.5 C, we need to remove massive amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. We’re suggesting agriculture transitions to optimal systems, and that’s plant-based.” Without the change, and continuing on our current path, half of emissions would come from livestock by 2030.
Scientists call for farmers and agriculture to “diversify,” to include grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Alternatively, farms can be converted to forests to help absorb carbon. Countries should also focus on reducing demand for livestock products to help meet emissions targets agreed upon at the Paris climate summit.
Scientists around the globe have agreed that we need to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid catastrophe. Animal agriculture is also the largest source of methane emissions. So reducing it would significantly impact emissions targets.
Original source: www.onegreenplanet.org