Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Meat consumption is causing dangerous climate change

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Eat less meat is "essential" to ensure that future demand for meat can be supplied and that "dangerous" climate change can be avoided. The findings are from a group of researchers from the universities of Cambridge and Aberdeen. The team stresses that the production of food, in particular meat, exceed the targets for emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, if current trends continue production.

Population growth, and an increasing tendency to diets high in meat, means that the growing agricultural production will not be sufficient to respond to the food needs for a population of 9.6 billion inhabitants in 2044, suggest researchers.

The increase of deforestation, the use of fertilizers and methane emissions by domestic cattle should cause emissions of greenhouse gases arising from food production increase by almost 80%.

"Agricultural practices are not necessarily at fault here, but our food choices Yes. It is imperative to find ways to achieve global food security levels without increasing grazing and cultivation land, "said Bojana Bajzelj, principal of Cambridge researcher, cites the Daily Mail.

"Food production is one of the main factors contributing to loss of biodiversity and a major contributor to climate change and pollution. Reduce food waste and the consumption of meat, more balanced diets, are essential options ", indicates the researcher.

According to the study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, current trends in food production means that in 2050 the farmland will have expanded 42% and the use of fertilisers increased by 45%, compared with 2009 levels. Research indicates that over the next 35 years, about one-tenth of the world's unspoiled rain forests disappear.

The researchers tested in the study a hypothetical scenario where all countries would have an average diet balanced, without excessive consumption of sugar, fats, meat and derivatives.

Foto: Asian Development Bank / Creative Commons

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