Is Meat killing the Planet? UN says diet change will slow climate change
The pink elephant in the room of global warming discussions is the link between animal agriculture and accelerating climate change. To put it frankly – if we stop eating meat, we will quickly slow down global warming. According to a new study by the UN Environment Programme this week, the quickest way to slow down the pace of climate change is to focus efforts on reducing shorter lived greenhouse gases such as black carbon (soot), methane and ground level ozone rather than only carbon dioxide. Everyone who cares about the environment wants to stop burning of the Amazon rainforest, but few are aware that in Brazil, over 75% of methane and over half of deforestation come from livestock. A reduction in the source of these harmful gases would, therefore, have an immediate effect on climate change.
Worldwide meat consumption has passed the point of sustainability
There are more than 55 BILLION animals killed for food every year around the world and the amount of resources they consume is simply unsustainable. According to Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop, Senior Scientist for the World Preservation Foundation, ”This report shows that the Cancun climate change agreement (to limit human warming by 2 degrees) is not achievable without action on shorter-term emissions. The power to change this dangerous situation is in our hands - if we change our diet, we can immediately slash methane, black carbon and lower atmosphere ozone. “
UN Suggests worldwide dietary change away from animal products
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said: “A substantial reduction of [climate/environmental] impacts wouldonly be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.” This claim is supported as well by a substantial body of work produced by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. According to IPCC chairman and nobel laureate Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, “ In my view, one of the most urgent, and perhaps the easiest and most beneficial, means by which we can reduce emissions through lifestyle changes is to change our dietary habits. I believe the world today is consuming far too much meat protein and therefore what we really need to do is cut down on meat consumption.” (see video)
