Meat consumption is an increasingly controversial subject, because of its impact on the environment.
According to the FAO, livestock farming is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions and 8% of the world's water consumption, which leads to deforestation and the destruction of wild animal habitats.
In addition, greenhouse gas emissions from animal husbandry are significant and contribute greatly to global warming.
👉🥩 Eating less meat is better... for the animals:
More than 70 billion animals are raised in the world each year and 50 billion of them spend their entire lives in factory farms in intensive breeding and force-fed antibiotics. In other words: 70 billion is almost 9 times more than the number of humans!
A worldwide reduction in animal protein consumption would free up land for more sustainable production systems.
Animals would be better treated and healthier because there would be fewer of them. This would also benefit humans.
👉🥩 Eating less meat is better ... for the environment:
80% of global deforestation is due to agriculture, mainly due to the development of intensive soybean cultivation to feed livestock.
Industrial agriculture fuels climate change, pollutes our natural areas and waterways and wastes our precious resources.
👉🥩 Eating less meat is better... for your health:
Eating less meat leads to a significant reduction in the risk of having a stroke, developing certain cancers or cardiovascular, kidney, liver and lung diseases...
The WHO has classified processed meats (sausages, bacon, ham...) as carcinogenic substances.
Moreover, the regular use of antibiotics on animals contributes to the development of bacteria resistant to them. And these superbugs can in turn be transmitted to humans.
👉 As a conclusion
Eating less meat is good for the planet and for our health.
This does not mean giving up meat completely, but rather finding a balance in our consumption and favouring vegetarian and vegan alternatives.
The public authorities must also contribute to:
- Orienting the behavior of consumers and producers through health promotion and an ambitious climate policy,
- Encourage more sustainable production, which no longer focuses on volume but on quality,
- Favouring also extensive rather than intensive breeding.
