Though the earliest records of vegetarianism were centered in religion, in the modern day, there are even more reasons people are opting into the diet today. The rising concern of climate change, which could be mitigated by a decrease in the global consumption of meat, is one.
If the entire world turned vegetarian tomorrow, emissions would decline by around 70% by 2050 according to the Oxford Martin School. Furthermore, the livestock industry would significantly decrease in size, leaving 68% of the world’s agricultural land for free use according to Science Focus. Vegetarianism would allow the dedication of the world’s existing pastureland to the restoration of grasslands and forests, further alleviating climate change.
What’s more is that the change to vegetarianism comes with little global consequence — very different from other potential solution. For example, in 2015, ratification of the controversial Paris Climate Agreement encouraged all major carbon-emitting countries to control their climate pollution and assist in climate migration and adaptation in developing nations. The parties involved also created a fundamental framework for the transparent monitoring of climate goals worldwide. The issue here is that enforcement is largely unreliable.
The primary concern that comes along with global veganism is the disappearance of meat. However, modern technology has led to the creation of imitation meats to help fill the demand for beef, fish, and poultry in a plant-based diet. These meat alternatives produce only 11% of the greenhouse gas emissions that would have been made from the same quantity of “real meat” according to a University of Michigan Study. Similarly, milk substitutes would require just a fraction of the necessary water and land to be produced, with the release of a fractional amount of greenhouse gasses compared to their animal counterparts.
The benefits of a vegetarian diet are not limited to the environment alone. According to the Oxford Martin School, research shows that global mortality will reduce by up to 10% by 2050 from the decreased risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and certain cancers.
With such clear benefits and minimal consequences, the path seems clear. But the path to vegetarianism is not all sunshine and rainbows. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization denotes soil loss as one of the greatest catastrophes of the modern world, induced by plowing and intensive cropping. Another negative environmental effect would be the large-scale pollution and soil deterioration from increased use of fertilizer, fungicides, and pesticides should the meat and dairy industry disappear.
If not planned carefully enough, a plant-based diet could also lead to nutritional deficiencies, which undermines the inherent health benefits of vegetarianism. Essential substances such as protein, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids are hard to find in sufficient quantities within the realms of such dietary restrictions.
The detrimental impact of global vegetarianism is most notable in developing countries; around a third of the world’s land is composed of arid or semi-arid rangeland that cannot substantiate crop growth according to the BBC. This is just part of the equity issue that arises from switching to vegetarianism.
Specific populations will be restricted in their capability to nourish themselves when considering their financial burden that comes with purchasing large quantities of food. Furthermore, the collapse of millions of jobs and the loss of culture that hail traditional meat-based recipes further contribute to the impractical and destructive aspects of global vegetarianism.
The issue of cultural loss is exacerbated by the fact that the meat that least contributes to climate change tends to be outlawed in some religions. Grazing animals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats, have a far more significant greenhouse carbon footprint than their nongrazing counterparts, such as pigs or chickens. Non-grazing livestock is much more efficient at converting feed into edible flesh than grazing animals. So a shift toward a more sustainable practice inevitably results in alienating some religious groups which can’t cut out the less environmentally-conciuous meats.
Still, the climate crisis remains an issue. It is undeniable that the calls for vegetarianism to prevent aggressive pollution and the unethical livestock industry are commendable, so it should be encouraged among the communities that can afford it. Furthermore, as climate change becomes a more prevalent issue, cultural loss may be an unfortunate consequence of the shift that is necessary to protect our planet.
The experts at the Rowett Institute of Aberdeen have shown that the promotion of gut microbes can help reduce livestock’s methane emissions by up to 70%. Through such methods, we can collectively contribute to de-escalating the current climate crisis without inhibiting the growth and health of less developed countries.
