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Study says cut meat consumption in half for environment
Story Date: 4/17/2012
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Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 4/16/12
A new study concludes that in order to sufficiently curb nitrous oxide emissions by 2050, the developing world must cut its meat consumption in half.
The study is titled, “Representative concentration pathways and mitigation scenarios for nitrous oxide” by Eric Davidson and was published in the journal IOP (Institute of Physics) Science, which distributes scientific research globally.
The study abstract concludes the challenges of mitigating nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions are substantially different from those for carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), because nitrogen (N) is essential for food production, and over 80 percent of anthropogenic N2O emissions are from the agricultural sector.
Using a model of emission factors of N2O, Davidson demonstrated the magnitude of improvements in agriculture and industrial sectors and changes in dietary habits that would be necessary to curb emissions sufficiently by 2050.
He concluded part of that equation would include a 50 percent reduction in per capita meat consumption in the developed world.
“Technologies exist to achieve such improved efficiencies, but overcoming social, economic, and political impediments for their adoption and for changes in dietary habits will present large challenges,” he wrote.
To read the full study, click here.
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