Meat reductions could cut billions of tons of CO2 emissions

Meat production has become a focal point in the fight against climate change, with some proposals calling for drastic cuts by wealthier nations. But is such an extreme approach necessary to make a meaningful impact?

New insights suggest that carefully tailored strategies could help tackle climate change effectively without major lifestyle overhauls. The research was led by experts in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University.

The team found that by achieving a moderate reduction in meat production, we could potentially keep 125 billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. This figure exceeds the total number of global fossil fuel emissions from the past three years.

A win for forests and climate

A slight pullback in meat production, particularly in higher-income countries, could have profound effects on the climate.

The researchers suggest a cutback of around 13% of total meat production could free up vast tracts of land earlier earmarked for cattle grazing, allowing for natural regrowth of forests.

Why forests? Trees are nature’s best carbon absorbers. The return of forests on these lands could drastically reduce fossil fuel emissions.

“Globally, ruminant grazing – including cattle for beef production – is the most extensive human land use. Removing cattle from pastures represents a meaningful opportunity to sequester carbon into regrowing vegetation and soils,” wrote the researchers.

Meat reduction and climate change

“We can achieve enormous climate benefits with modest changes to the total global beef production,” said study lead author Matthew N. Hayek.

“By focusing on regions with potentially high carbon sequestration in forests, some restoration strategies could maximize climate benefits while minimizing changes to food supplies.”

The study suggests that pasturelands, particularly those which were formerly forests, could immensely aid in fighting climate change.

Removing livestock from these “potential native forest” areas could allow ecosystems to naturally revert to their original forested state, hence storing carbon in trees and soil.

Wealthy nations and meat production

The researchers see wealthier nations as suitable candidates for reducing meat production to combat climate change. Their current pasture areas yield little grass per acre or only during a short growing season, making climate-focused strategies more feasible.

In contrast, these areas could potentially nurture sprawling, verdant forests which act as efficient carbon sequestration sites.

This approach is distinct from that taken by regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and South America, where lush pastures grow year-round, hence providing more food per acre for animals.

The research team sees potential in these lower-income regions to increase livestock feeding efficiency on grass, thereby compensating for the slight dip in meat production by wealthier nations.

Tailoring meat reduction by region

The team also found potential to immensely mitigate climate change effects by broadening the scope of restoration.

The researchers discovered that eliminating grazing livestock from all potentially forested areas worldwide could sequester a staggering 445 gigatons of CO2 by the end of this century.

This amount of carbon sequestration is equivalent to over a decade of global fossil fuel emissions. However, Hayek emphasizes that this approach needs to be tailored to individual regions.

“Our findings show that strategic improvements in the efficiency of cattle herds in some areas, coupled with decreased production in others, could lead to a win-win scenario for climate and food production,” said Hayek.

Meat reduction supports climate goals

The authors also emphasized that restoration efforts should not replace endeavors to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Instead, these efforts should work hand in hand to fight climate change.

“In many places, this regrowth could occur by seeds naturally dispersing and trees regrowing without any human involvement,” noted Hayek.

Swift action is needed to meet climate goals, and ecosystem restoration on converted pasturelands is a critical part of these plans.

“Our study’s findings could offer paths forward for policymakers aiming to address both climate mitigation and food security concerns,” concluded Hayek.

In a time when many countries are committing to ambitious reforestation targets, balancing meat production with climate mitigation efforts becomes paramount. This research nudges us closer to that equilibrium.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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