December 1, 2009

Reduced global meat consumption may save livestock production

Worldwide average meat consumption could be realistically reduced by 10 percent to ease the already substantial impact of livestock production on greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study.

This would also reduce health risks associated with very high consumption of red meat.

According to the study, global average meat consumption is currently 100g per person daily, with about a ten-fold variation between high-consuming and low-consuming populations. 90g per day is proposed as a working global target, shared more evenly, and with not more than 50g per day coming from red meat from ruminants.

Reports says worldwide, agricultural activity, especially livestock production, accounts for about a fifth of total greenhouse-gas emissions, thus contributing to climate change and its adverse health consequences, including the threat to food yields in many regions.

Particular policy attention should be paid to the health risks posed by the rapid worldwide growth in meat consumption, both by exacerbating climate change and by directly contributing to certain diseases.

To prevent increased greenhouse-gas emissions increasing from this sector, worldwide consumption of meat and the intensity of emissions from livestock production must be reduced.