Meat And Dairy Cause 57% Carbon Emissions, Twice As Much As Plant-Based Food
Out of all the kinds of meat, beef was the most polluting, accounting for a quarter of all animal-based food emissions.
Meat and dairy products contribute twice as much emissions compared to plant-based foods. This is according to a new study that looked at 171 crops and 16 animal products in 200 nations.
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The study (published in the journal Nature Food) found that food production accounts for 35 percent of global greenhouse gases emissions, out of which 57 percent of total food emissions come from meat and dairy products. On the other hand, only 29 percent comes from plant-based foods.
Out of all the kinds of meat, beef was the most polluting, accounting for a quarter of all animal-based food emissions.
They looked at data from 2010, going through all stages of food production from the time land is cleared to make space for crops or livestock and the emissions released while processing and transporting food. It looked for three greenhouse gases in particular -- carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
Meat production has been found to be the biggest contributor for the occurrence of these greenhouse gases. For instance, after a forested land is cleared for a cow to graze or grow animal feed, it releases a ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
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Also, cattle, sheep and goats are known for their rumination process, which releases considerable amounts of methane in the air while digesting food. On the other hand, livestock manure releases nitrous oxide.
But it¡¯s not that meat is the only problem maker, some vegan foods also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, producing rice releases a ton of methane in the air, since they¡¯re mostly grown in flooded areas that are also perfect for methane-emitting bacteria to thrive.
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Findings also highlight that south and southeast Asia causes more pollution than any other region in the world at 23 percent. The second largest on the list is South America which also has the greatest emissions per person of any region in the world.
Lead researcher of the study, Prof Atul Jain, a climate and land use scientist from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign highlights that policymakers need to develop strategies to control greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-fuel burning and other sources of production as well as consumption of total and individual plant and animal-based foods.
What do you think about this carbon emission study comparing the meat and dairy industry to plant-based foods? Let us know in the comments section below, and keep reading Indiatimes.com for the latest science updates and technology news.
