New report says we can eat meat and save the planet

11 November 2009

Humans already use 75.5 per cent of the world's land, creating a challenge for feeding the growing population

The report, Eating the Planet? reveals how we can feed a growing global population by using planet-friendly farming methods and eating less, but better, meat.

Meat and dairy production already causes more climate-changing emissions than all the world's transport.

Big businesses claim that to feed a growing population we need to massively intensify farming.

But expanding factory farms so we can eat more meat and dairy would push the world's climate and resources over the edge.

The global food system is unfair

There are now the same number of obese people globally as there are people going hungry in poor countries - one billion of each.

And westerners also eat six times more meat than those in the poorest countries.

Forests in South America are being cleared to make way for animal feed plantations for factory farms in the west - turfing out people who've lived there for centuries.

Eating meat two or three times a week

This research shows the world can produce enough food for a global population of over nine billion by 2050 without factory farms and forest destruction.

It also sees an important role for environmentally-beneficial organic farming.

Eating meat two or three times each week means we can feed everyone fairly by:

• Using planet-friendly farming methods.

• Rearing farm animals in free-range, humane conditions.

   

  Fix the Food Chain

Find out more about our campaign to Fix the Food Chain and find out more about our comedy and music event LIVEstock for the Food Chain Campaign.