Some data. According to FAO estimates, the quantities of greenhouse gases from livestock as a whole are roughly equal to the emissions of all trucks, cars, aircraft and ships in the world combined. It is again the FAO to underline that red meat provides only 1% of the calories to the population of the earth, but represents 25% of all emissions deriving from agriculture and livestock. At the same time, hunger in the world has increased and among the key factors are climate variability and extreme phenomena (Fao).
According to a survey by Greenpeace, intensive farming also contributes to the formation of fine particles, the Pm 2,5 .; in Italy, between 1990 and 2018, pollution due to road transport, industry and energy production decreased, but the share linked to animal husbandry increased by 10%. If the population of industrialized countries were able to double the consumption of vegetables by 2050 and halve those of sugars, refined flours and red and processed meats, global warming would be curbed and at least 11 and a half million premature deaths per year due to be avoided. to unhealthy eating habits (Eat Commission – The Lancet).
Here are the five climate-friendly diets. The volume presents the five diets that can mitigate polluting emissions and improve the line and the state of health, according to the evaluations of the UN.
First of all, the Mediterranean diet, which does not exclude any food category, provides plenty of vegetables, red meat only once a week and a moderate consumption of dairy products.
The climatic carnivorous diet: Within an omnivorous style, at least 75% of the consumption of ruminant meat and dairy products is replaced by pork, rabbit, chicken and turkey. Beef, kid, veal and lamb have the greatest climate impact per gram of protein, while vegetables tend to have the least. Pork, many types of fish and poultry are in the middle, cheeses a little higher for carbon footprint. Then there are the pescetarian diet, which involves the consumption of fish but not meat and in some variations not even dairy products; the vegetarian diet, which excludes meat and fish but not eggs, milk and dairy products; is the vegan diet which admits only vegetable sources.
In short, the choice is wide, and you don’t have to completely give up red meat to make a difference: you can choose to be eco-carnivorous, reducing its consumption. But plant-based protein sources, such as legumes, whole grains, and nuts, are the most climate-friendly options. In general, an average Westerner should double their vegetable consumption by their standards.