To Conserve the Environment, Meat Intake Must Be Reduced by at Least 75% According to Experts

If the earth is to keep feeding us all in the future, richer nations must drastically cut their meat intake, ideally by at least 75%.

This is the finding of a recent study conducted by the University of Bonn.

The paper examined the most recent studies on many elements of meat intake. These include, in addition to the consequences on the ecosystem and climate, health, and economic effects.

The researchers came to the conclusion that eating meat in tiny amounts can be fairly sustainable.

The findings appear in the journal Annual Review of Resource Economics.

It is not recommended to have mass vegetarianism

(Photo : FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Each EU person consumes around 80 kg of beef each year.

However, every succulent steak and every delectable sausage comes at a cost that we do not pay at the counter because animal production harms the climate and the ecosystem.

Ruminants, for example, emit methane, which contributes to global warming. Animals also only convert a part of the calories supplied to them into the meat.

Meat, on the other hand, needs a substantially bigger land area to feed the same number of people. This is harmful to ecosystems since less area is available for natural species protection.

Furthermore, individuals who consume an excessive amount of meat put their health in danger.

Consuming an excessive amount of meat is unhealthy and can encourage chronic illnesses.

Wouldn't it be better for humanity if we all ate vegetarianism or, much better, vegan diets? According to the study, this would have been the incorrect outcome.

On the one hand, plant-based foods cannot be cultivated in many areas. "We can't survive on grass, but farm animals can," explained Dr. Martin Parlasca, Qaim's colleague and co-author.

"Furthermore, if grasslands cannot be used in almost any other manner, it makes perfect sense to maintain cattle on it," as cited by ScienceDaily.

There is also no practical objection to careful feeding with a restricted number of animals from an ecological point of view.

There is currently little evidence of this. Despite the fact that there are more vegetarians than ever before, overall meat consumption in Europe is stagnant.

It is, nevertheless, higher in North America and Australia.

Qaim feels that greater levies on animal-based goods should be considered as well.

That's controversial, especially since a 10% or 20% point premium probably wouldn't be enough if it's designed to have a steering impact, according to him.

Meat, on the other hand, has a significant environmental cost that is not reflected in present pricing.

It would be completely acceptable and equitable for customers to bear a greater portion of these expenditures.

Also Read: Red Meat Consumption Strongly Associated with Increased Risk of Kidney Failure

Statistics of meat consumption

Over the 20 years to 2018, global meat consumption climbed by 58 percent to 360 million tonnes.

Growth in population contributed to 54% of this rise, with per capita consumption growth accounting for the rest, as per Australia's Department of Agriculture.

Changes in consumer choices and income growth had the greatest impact on per capita spending.

This article is comparing meat consumption patterns in Australia with several of the country's key meat export markets, including China, Indonesia, Japan, and the United States.

In the 20 years leading up to 2018, emerging nations accounted for approximately 85 percent of the increase in global consumption of meat.

 Chinese consumption climbed by 72% between 1998 and 2018. This rise accounted for 34% of worldwide consumption growth.

The primary cause of the growing Chinese consumption of all meats has been population expansion.

Only 3% of the world's meat consumption is accounted for by Indonesia. However, between 1998 and 2008, Indonesian meat consumption more than doubled due to population increase and rapid economic growth.

Strong Chinese demand growth, along with land limits on meat production in Indonesia, raised global meat import demand.

Meat consumption grew in Australia and the United States over the 20 years to 2018, owing to increased chicken eating.

This need is primarily fulfilled by domestic manufacturing. In contrast, total meat consumption in Japan decreased throughout the same time period.

Japanese meat consumption has declined as a result of the country's aging population, which has reduced total demand.

Related article: A Focus on Sustainability: A Diet for More Ethical Consumption