A recent study featured in Nature Communications effectively demonstrates that replacing half of animal-derived products (such as pork, chicken, beef, and milk) with plant-based food alternatives can lead to a “31% reduction in global agricultural emissions,” contribute to forest conservation efforts, and enhance the nutritional well-being of millions of individuals.
The results indicate that if we were to replace 50% of meat and milk consumption, it would significantly alleviate the growing environmental impact of our food systems. By 2050, as compared to 2020, this shift would lead to several positive outcomes:
- Reduced Agricultural Expansion: The global agricultural area would decrease by 12% instead of continuing to expand.
- Halting Deforestation: The decline in forested and natural land areas would be nearly stopped.
- Lower Nitrogen Inputs: Nitrogen inputs to cropland would be almost half of the projected levels.
- Decreased Water Usage: Water consumption would decrease by 10% instead of increasing.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction: Not considering any carbon sequestration on the preserved land, greenhouse gas emissions could decrease by 2.1 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year (31%) by 2050 (with an average reduction of 1.6 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year from 2020 to 2050).
- Several Significant Health Benefits: Including reduced risk of chronic diseases, weight management, improved digestive health, and better blood pressure control
In summary, making simple dietary changes could have substantial environmental benefits by curbing the expansion of agriculture, preserving natural land, reducing nitrogen inputs, lowering water usage, and significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions.