Thread by @josephmjauregui

Can we save the planet if we stop eating meat?
Is veganism a true solution to climate change?
Does it make sense to have a #MeatlessMonday?

I will address some of these questions in this thread!
Keep on reading to find out more...
👇

Media, influencers and even scientists insist that we should abandon the consumption of meat. And particularly that of red meat🐄

Some articles claim that "A vegan diet is the single biggest way to reduce emissions".
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…

But how accurate are those claims?

Let’s look at the data 🔎
🟢ONLY 26% of total GHG emissions correspond to food production.

Of that 26%
🟢31% is CH4 and other 🌬️
🟢6% emissions from crops to feed animals 🌽
🟢16% land use change
0,26*(0,31+0,06+0,16)= 14% of TOTAL emissions correspond to livestock production.

Now let's imagine that starting tomorrow, we all stop eating meat. No more meat of any kind. I know that some of us will have a mental and physical breakdown, we might even cry like babies and look for meat in the black market... but let's try and imagine that scenario.

We will save the planet, right? I mean, it seems obvious. Fewer cows, less methane, less global warming. Plus more land to grow veggies instead of using it to feed animals.

Well, it's not so simple.

Let's take the example of Argentina.
If all our meat loving population would become vegan, a 70% reduction of emissions derived from feeding would be expected.
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
So 14%*0.7 = 10% reduction of global GHGs (considering AR as the test case).

Other papers show similar reductions.

USA: 56% CO2eq reduction bit.ly/36BH3fW
France: 70% CO2eq reduction bit.ly/3efPMs8
Italy: 20% CO2eq reduction (considering cooking stage and wastage) bit.ly/3ejhrZh

To summarize:
Our feeding habits have little impact on global GHG emissions. The biggest change would come from transforming our energy matrix from fossil (currently 81%) to other renewable green power sources.

But what about the land we would save if we stop eating beef?
Well... ~57% of the land used for beef production is not suitable for food production (rangelands). bit.ly/3mWvmrN
And ruminants demand ONLY 9% of global cereal production. bit.ly/3AJVJpK

But wait... Cows emit methane which is far worse than CO2, right?
Wrong. CH4 emitted from cows is part of a biogenic cycle. Constant herds of cattle don't add any warming to the planet. And @GHGGuru is one of the scientists leading this discussion.
link.springer.com/article/10.118…

Also, and according to several authors, vulnerable populations require animal foods for adequate nutrition, as it can reduce stunting and wasting and improve cognitive health, especially in the first months of life.
I suggest reading this fantastic review.
pastres.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/climat…

Thus, next time you read that switching to a vegan diet will save the world, think twice. The main path towards a more sustainable world comes from reducing our emissions derived from fossil fuels.