How does a plant-based future solve world hunger?

We hear about the benefits of eating plant-based, but what will switching to a veggie burger instead of that steak sandwich really do? Other than the obvious for Bessie ;-)

• Greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by 49%
• Land use would be reduced by 76%
• Freshwater withdrawls would be reduced by 19%
• Eutrophication would be down by 49%
• Acidification would be down by 50%

Simply put, the more people eat meat, the fewer people can be fed. For example, over 10 pounds of plant protein are used to produce one pound of beef protein. If these grains were fed to humans instead of animals, more food would be available for the 925 million people in chronic hunger worldwide.

Source: Poore & Nemeck (2018)

According to a recent report by Oxofrd University, meat, aquaculture, eggs and dairy production use 83 percent of the world’s farmland and contribute 56-58 percent of food’s emissions. In return, they provide only 37 percent of our protein and 18 percent of our calories.

To add to this, in a groundbreaking revelation, a new study published in the prestigious journal Nature illuminates a path toward nourishing the projected 10 billion inhabitants of our planet by 2050.

The verdict is in, and it's an earth-shaking one: the only way to truly mitigate climate change is by shifting toward a plant-based diet.

But why??

This verdict isn't just for hardcore vegans; it invites the masses to embrace "flexitarian" dining habits, demonstrating that even modest reductions in meat consumption can significantly shrink one's carbon footprint.

Moreover, this revelation aligns with a landmark food production analysis that surfaced earlier this year, confirming that a vegan diet stands as the most potent weapon against climate change.

Dr. Springmann warns,

"Without swift and concerted action, the environmental toll of our food system could swell by 50-90% by 2050. Blame it on population growth and the surge in diets rich in fats, sugars, and meat. In this grim scenario, we would trample all planetary boundaries related to food production, surpassing some by over twofold."

Agriculture sits at the heart of almost all of the world’s environmental problems and the challenge is going to get significantly harder. We will need to produce more food in the next 80 years than we produced in the entire history of humanity,” says Joseph Poore from University of Oxford and co-author of the Oxford University report.

“Of that there’s a shocking 1.3 trillion liters of milk and 500 billion kilograms of meat that we will produce annually by 2050. These are staggering numbers, a 60 percent increase on today and they’re going to put tremendous pressure on the world’s resources.”

But hope is not lost!

Dr. Springmann underscores, "Many of the solutions we've dissected are already being put into action in different corners of the globe. What we need now is a harmonious global effort and rapid scaling to feel their transformative impact."

The urgency for collective action reverberates through the international community, bolstered by the United Nations' recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's impassioned plea for "unprecedented changes" across all facets of society.

The message is clear: we must act now to secure our planet's future against the looming environmental catastrophe triggered by global warming.

So....what can I do on an individual level?

We can make some easy switches to make a difference to the environment!

• Reduce our reliance on animal products or cut it out completely! Here is a guide to help you!
• Take public transport or bike where possible
• Cook at home with local, fresh ingredients as much as you can
• Recycle
• Print as little as necessary
• Save electricity where you can - always minimise it