A new study reveals that swapping traditional burgers and kebabs for meatless alternatives can significantly contribute to saving the planet. Experts assert that consuming just 100 grams of meat a day (less than one hamburger) generates four times more greenhouse gases compared to a vegan diet. Researchers are now calling for a shift away from diets based on animal products.
Love for Meat Increases the Greenhouse Effect
Previous studies have already shown that abandoning a meat-heavy diet can benefit human health, including a reduced risk of heart disease. Lead author of the new study, Professor Peter Scarborough, emphasizes that dietary choices have a profound impact not only on individuals but also on the planet as a whole.
His team analyzed data from over 38,000 farms across more than 100 countries. According to the professor, the study’s findings demonstrate that meat-heavy diets have the most significant impact on several critical environmental indicators, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Therefore, Mr. Scarborough argues that reducing meat and dairy consumption can substantially alter our food footprint.
Scientists have long discussed the enormous carbon footprint associated with humanity’s love for meat (especially beef), fish, and dairy products. Livestock farming contributes to global warming through methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon emissions from cattle and their supply chains. Additionally, deforestation for pastureland reduces the number of trees that absorb carbon.
The study’s authors stress the need for dietary changes if we wish to remain within “safe ecological limits for greenhouse gas emissions.” The increase in these emissions is leading to rising sea levels and extreme heat, threatening life on Earth.
Veganism and Reducing Meat Consumption Will Benefit the Planet
For the study, Professor Scarborough and his colleagues linked dietary data from 55,500 individuals with information about the environmental impact of the foods they consume. The participants included both meat-eaters and vegetarians, with the former divided into three categories based on their average daily meat intake (over 100 grams, between 50-100 grams, and less than 50 grams).
Researchers found that the impact of vegan diets on greenhouse gas emissions was 25% that of high meat consumers. In other words, consuming 100 grams of meat or more on average generates four times more greenhouse gases than a vegan diet.
Interestingly, the researchers noted a 30% difference between high and low meat diets for most environmental damage indicators. Thus, significantly reducing meat consumption can greatly help the planet. It’s not necessary to completely eliminate meat to achieve this.
However, the vegan diet has consistently been recognized as the best option regarding various environmental impacts—carbon emissions, water usage, land use, and biodiversity. The latest research indicates that eliminating all meat from our diets over the next 15 years could reduce global carbon emissions by a staggering 68%.
According to another study, meat consumption should be limited to the equivalent of two hamburgers per week to avoid a climate crisis. A separate British report advocated for serving vegan meals in schools, prisons, and hospitals to increase their popularity among the general public. Professor Scarborough’s team also supports encouraging consumers to change their diets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Will Cultivated Red Meat Save the Environment?
Lab-grown meat is expected to become more common this decade, turning into a staple in our refrigerators. The world’s first lab-grown hamburger, made from cow muscle cells, was introduced back in 2013.
Currently, Mosa Meat is pioneering a “kinder and cleaner” way to produce beef. The company extracts cells from the animal’s muscles while it is under anesthesia.
These cells are then placed in a dish containing nutrients and natural growth factors, allowing them to multiply until trillions of cells grow from a small sample. Later, these cells form muscle fibers that naturally fuse together, creating edible tissue.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Mosa Meat has also developed cultivated fat, which it adds to the muscle tissue to create a final product that tastes just like meat.
The developers of this product believe that over time, it will become so popular among animal rights activists that it will replace plant-based substitutes like soy burgers. These innovative technologies, combined with reduced food waste and changes in consumer behavior, could significantly mitigate global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions.