[Nestor Chayelle] Plan based-diets can reduce climate change

Climate change and vegetarianism

Meat production causes 30% of global greenhouse emissions. We can contribute to the reduction of climate impact by changing some eating habits.

A study from the University of Oxford shows that following plan-based diets can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Making small changes in our daily diets, like eating less meat and more vegetables and fruits, can reduce mortality and climate change, said Marco Springmann, a researcher at the University of Oxford.

Meat production causes 30% of all greenhouse emissions. Eating less meat will bring health benefits to you and benefits to the planet by reducing climate change.

The research found d that if every person follows the WHO’S global dietary guidelines, about 5.1 million deaths per year can be avoided by 2050. About 7.3 million deaths can be avoided by following vegetarian diets and 8.1 million deaths by following vegan diets.

About 29% of greenhouse emissions can be reduced by adopting global dietary guidelines. In the next years is expected to increase plan-based diets, but also meat consumption will increase. Less than a third of the 105 regions included in the study are prepared to follow these dietary recommendations.

This means that by 2050 bad eating habits will be worst, and the population growth will raise the problem of climate change.

According to Marco Springmann, a dietary impact is different in many regions. The number of avoided deaths is larger in developing countries, especially in East Asia and South Asia, but per person, the reduction is bigger in developed countries because of individual reduction in red meat consumption.

Global dietary guidelines consist of reducing the consumption of red meat, but this will not be enough to reduce climate impact. Therefore, it will be necessary to adopt more plan-based diets to fight climate change. The research determined if the world went vegetarian, greenhouse emissions will be reduced to 63%.

Indeed, these dietary changes could save US$700-1,000 billion per year in healthcare, unpaid informal care and lost working days.

By doing small changes in our lives we can contribute to reducing climate impact.

-Nestor Chayelle