The rearing of livestock and meat consumption accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – even before considering its heavy and relatively inefficient use of water, land and crops – yet few governments are willing to discuss options for reducing its impact.
As well as carbon emissions from deforestation (for pasture or crops to feed animals), the livestock sector is also the largest source of methane (from cattle) and nitrous oxide emissions (from fertiliser and manure), two particularly potent greenhouse gases.
While governments around the world have initiated policies to reduce energy use in homes, industry and cars, they have been reluctant to legislate against meat. The only flicker of ambition, if you could call it that, has been in Europe where The Netherlands and Sweden included climate change considerations in their dietary recommendations to citizens.
This government indifference is matched by widespread public ignorance about the impact of meat-eating on climate change, according to a newly published survey of consumers in 12 countries (including Brazil, China, India, the UK and US), commissioned by the UK-based thinktank Chatham House.
Twice as many respondents identified direct transport emissions as a major contributor to climate change as identified meat and dairy production, despite them having almost equal contributions.
As many as one-quarter of respondents stated that meat and dairy production contributes little or nothing to climate change.
The global meat footprint
With global consumption of meat expected to rise 76% by 2050, against a 2005-7 baseline, climate scientists are warning that dietary trends are incompatible with the objective of limiting global warming to 2C.
