In this letter published in The Lancet, scientists from around the world write that restoring natural vegetation, such as forests, is the BEST OPTION the world has for removing CO2 from our atmosphere and must begin immediately. They explain that the livestock sector currently occupies much of the land that needs to be restored. Restoring - or “rewilding” - vast areas of our earth to pristine, wild habitat could also rescue countless animal, plant and other species from the brink of extinction while simultaneously tackling climate change. It’s a Win-Win!
A study published in 2020 found that even if fossil fuel emissions were immediately halted, emissions from the global food system alone will make it impossible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Why is that? The global food system is responsible for about 34% of total global human-caused greenhouse gas emissions (or 18 Billion metric tons). This is more than double the entire emissions for the United States! 57% of food system emissions come from producing animal-based foods even though the global livestock industry produces only 18% of the world’s calories and 37% of the world’s protein. Only 29% of food system emissions come from producing plant-based foods. The food that is responsible for the most emissions is Beef, accounting for 25% of total food system emissions. Learn more in this 4 min video. According to this study published in 2018, the world’s top five meat and dairy corporations combined are now responsible for more annual greenhouse gas emissions than Exxon, Shell or British Petroleum. Hopefully, you’re beginning to understand just how powerful your dietary choices are. Plant-based diets!