There is need to shift diets away from pork, chicken and beef to plant based diets if climate change is to be combated from people’s food system, a new study has revealed.
The new study by World Animal Protection says pork and chicken are often overlooked as contributors to climate change as more emphasis is placed on the methane that cows produce from digestion and manure.
The report exposes the hidden climate impact of factory farming is alarming causing climate change that is threatening the world.
Factory farming is a system of rearing livestock using highly intensive methods by which poultry, pigs or cattle are confined indoors under strictly controlled conditions.
The report adds that when land is cleared in biodiversity hot spots to grow crops to feed animals, it releases carbon into the atmosphere destroying wild animal habitats which affects climate.
It has also been realised that when deforestation to grow feed crops especially soya for global trade is considered, it doubles the overall climate change impact of factory farmed meat in the Netherlands and increases the impact by more than one and a half times in China.
It is recommended that a 50% reduction in consumption of both chicken and pork by 2040, along with a 50% adoption of higher welfare products would have the annual climate impacts of chicken and pork production across the four hot spots including Brazil, China, Netherlands and US.
This latest report says a reduction in consumption of such animals and birds would be equivalent to taking 45 million cars of the road for a year in the four hot spots combined
The study is the first to measure how to eating less factory-farmed chicken and pork could help safeguard climate if combined with ending the cruelest practices on factory farms.
It comes as factory farming is expected to explode, as demand for meat is expected to increase as much as 30% in Africa, 18% in Asia Pacific, 12% in Latin America and 9% in North America by 2030.
Dr Victor Yamo, a Farming Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection said “When people think of the major causes of climate change, they often think about burning fossil fuels for industrial purposes, energy and transport. But there’s a hidden climate culprit, and one that could be on your plate – factory-farmed meat. Factory farming – either directly or indirectly through the feed chain, is to blame for the destruction of vital habitats, the displacement of wildlife, and is the largest cause of animal suffering on the planet. Sentient animals are deprived of any quality of life, and instead suffer their entire lives – many never see sunlight, roan freely in a field, or even have a life free of pain. This is cruelty at its very worst and it must end.”
Adding: “We need governments to step up to meet commitments to address deforestation and emissions by ending factory farming. They need to recognise the damage it does to animals, people and planet. We are running out of time to save our planet, and they are out of excuses not to address it.”
World Animal Protection is also calling for governments to stop approving new factory farms now by imposing a moratorium for a 10-year period.
By consuming fewer animal products and choosing higher welfare products that eat are the key player in subsidizing factory farming.
By consuming fewer animal products and choosing higher welfare products like eating less and better, can help to safeguard climate and planet and protect animal welfare.
