Abstract
The consumption of animal-sourced food products by humans is one of the most powerful negative forces affecting the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems and biological diversity. Livestock production is the single largest driver of habitat loss, and both livestock and feedstock production are increasing in developing tropical countries where the majority of biological diversity resides. Bushmeat consumption in Africa and southeastern Asia, as well as the high growth-rate of per capita livestock consumption in China are of special concern. The projected land base required by 2050 to support livestock production in several megadiverse countries exceeds 30-50% of their current agricultural areas. Livestock production is also a leading cause of climate change, soil loss, water and nutrient pollution, and decreases of apex predators and wild herbivores, compounding pressures on ecosystems and biodiversity. It is possible to greatly reduce the impacts of animal product consumption by humans on natural ecosystems and biodiversity while meeting nutritional needs of people, including the projected 2-3 billion people to be added to human population. We suggest that impacts can be remediated through several solutions: (1) reducing demand for animal-based food products and increasing proportions of plant-based foods in diets, the latter ideally to a global average of 90% of food consumed; (2) replacing ecologically-inefficient ruminants (e.g. cattle, goats, sheep) and bushmeat with monogastrics (e.g. poultry, pigs), integrated aquaculture, and other more-efficient protein sources; and (3) reintegrating livestock production away from single-product, intensive, fossil-fuel based systems into diverse, coupled systems designed more closely around the
Generated Summary
This research examines the significant impact of meat consumption on biodiversity conservation, focusing on tropical regions. It investigates the relationship between animal product consumption and its effects on terrestrial ecosystems, biological diversity, and climate change, while also addressing the implications for human health. The study employs a comprehensive approach, analyzing patterns of meat consumption, rates of meat production, and the projected land requirements for livestock production in various biodiverse countries. The methodology involves reviewing existing literature, analyzing statistical data, and proposing potential solutions to mitigate the negative impacts of animal product consumption. The scope encompasses a global perspective, with a particular emphasis on the tropics, where the majority of biological diversity resides, and specific concerns regarding livestock consumption in China and bushmeat consumption in Africa. The analysis also considers the role of climate change, soil loss, water and nutrient pollution, and the decline of apex predators and wild herbivores.
Key Findings & Statistics
- The consumption of animal-sourced food products by humans is one of the most powerful negative forces affecting the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems and biological diversity.
- Livestock production is the single largest driver of habitat loss.
- Livestock production accounts for approximately three-quarters of all agricultural land and nearly one-third of the ice-free land surface of the planet.
- Livestock comprise one-fifth of the total terrestrial biomass.
- Livestock consumption in China and bushmeat in Africa are of special concern.
- The projected land base required by 2050 to support livestock production in several megadiverse countries exceeds 30-50% of their current agricultural areas.
- Over the 300 years ending in 1990, the extent of global cropland area increased more than five-fold and pasture areas increased more than six-fold.
- Agricultural expansion is, by far, the leading cause of tropical deforestation.
- Livestock production, including feed production, accounts for approximately three-quarters of all agricultural land.
- Animal product consumption by humans is likely the leading cause of modern species extinctions.
- Current global rates of extinction are about 1000 times the estimated background rate of extinction.
- The Amazon is the planet’s largest continuous tropical forest.
- Over three-quarters of all deforested lands in the Amazon region have been converted to livestock pasture and feedcrop production.
- Deforestation accumulated during the period from August 2014 to April 2015 reached 1898 km², a 187% increase in deforestation in relation to the previous period.
- Developing tropical megadiverse countries could need to expand their agricultural land base by an estimated 3,000,000 km² over the next 35 years to meet projected increases in meat production.
- Eleven of the tropical megadiverse countries have rates of increasing per capita meat production.
- The Caribbean retains only 11.3% of its primary vegetation, Madagascar 9.9%, Sundaland 7.8% and Brazil’s Atlantic Forest 7.5%.
- Animal products currently constitute a median of approximately 21% of the weight of food in global human diets.
- Global meat production now takes place in developing countries.
- Per capita meat consumption in some developing countries can be expected to quickly approach levels found in high-income industrialized countries of between 80 kg and 130 kg yr¯¹.
- Meat, milk and eggs increased four-, four- and eight-fold, respectively.
- The livestock sector is responsible for approximately 14.5% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
- Land-use change involves the release of carbon and the conversion of forests and other habitats into grazing pastures.
- Worldwide, the livestock sector is responsible for approximately 14.5% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
- Land-use change (deforestation & feedcrop expansion) dominates CO2 production from livestock with an estimated 2,400,000,000 tons of CO2 released annually.
- Releases of methane from enteric fermentation are equivalent to 2,200,000,000 tons of CO2.
- A shift of preference for meat products is already occurring in many locations and should be further expanded.
- Per capita retail beef demand in the United States declined by nearly 50% from 1980 to 1998.
- The ruminants require at least 20× more area to produce a ton of meat than chickens and pigs (28 ha vs. 1.4 ha).
- Providing economical alternative protein sources can also help relieve pressures on hunting of wildlife as a protein source.
- The area required to produce 1 kg of fish is as small as 1 m² to 2 m², which is much less than area required to produce beef (68 m²), pork (19 m²), chicken (7 m²), or even soybeans (4 m²).
- In the United States, 30% of all food, worth more than US $48 billion is thrown away each year.
- A large scale media campaign featuring Chinese National Basketball Association star Yao Ming in television, bus stop and billboard advertisements, and social media campaigns was disseminated widely throughout China in 2006 and again in 2009.
Other Important Findings
- The projected land base required by 2050 to support livestock production in several megadiverse countries exceeds 30-50% of their current agricultural areas.
- Livestock production is also a leading cause of climate change, soil loss, water and nutrient pollution, and decreases of apex predators and wild herbivores, compounding pressures on ecosystems and biodiversity.
- Livestock consumption in China and bushmeat in Africa are of special concern.
- The contribution of livestock to greenhouse gases is significant, with land-use change, methane production, and nitrous oxide emissions being major factors.
- The consumption of animal products is linked to various health issues, including heart disease and certain cancers.
- China’s increasing appetite for animal products will need to reach far beyond its own borders to meet its needs, importing both meat products as well as feedstocks to produce meats locally.
- The global increase in livestock production is destroying natural habitats and driving the loss of species at multiple trophic levels with cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function.
- Agricultural production in tropical Asia, which has transformed natural habitats for thousands of years, is based primarily around the intensive production of rice and wheat and other secondary crops.
- The global increase in livestock production is destroying natural habitats and driving the loss of species at multiple trophic levels with cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function.
- Because of its devastating effects on natural habitats and species, land-use change is projected to continue having the largest global impact on biodiversity, especially in tropical forests.
- The health of many of the world’s poorest people living in developing countries would be improved if they could include more essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and protein in their diets.
- Animal product consumption is ubiquitous, but consumption levels, types and levels of livestock production, and future projected growth vary among Earth’s tropical regions.
- Across global ecosystems, twenty-five biodiversity hotspots have been identified that collectively contain as endemics approximately 44% of the world’s plants and 35% of terrestrial vertebrates.
Limitations Noted in the Document
- The study acknowledges the difficulty in quantifying animal product consumption by humans (human carnivory) as a leading cause of modern species extinctions.
- The analysis of potential solutions to reduce the impacts of animal product consumption is based on suggestions and does not involve empirical testing or extensive field trials.
- The study’s projections about land use requirements are based on extrapolations of current trends and may not account for unexpected changes in agricultural practices, technological advancements, or policy interventions.
- The study focuses on the tropics, and while relevant globally, its findings might not be directly transferable to other regions with different ecological and socioeconomic contexts.
- The data on meat production and consumption might vary across different regions and countries, which could impact the accuracy of the projections.
- The study is limited by data availability for certain variables, which might affect the completeness of the analysis.
- The study primarily addresses beef, chicken, and pork production but does not include eggs, other meat sources, or dairy, which would increase area projections.
Conclusion
The research underscores the substantial environmental impact of animal product consumption, highlighting its role as a major driver of habitat loss, climate change, and biodiversity decline, particularly in tropical regions. The study emphasizes the urgency of addressing this issue, proposing three key solutions: reducing animal product demand, replacing inefficient protein sources with more sustainable alternatives, and reintegrating livestock production into diverse, ecologically-sound systems. These approaches aim to improve human nutritional health, decrease agricultural land demands, and protect plant and animal biodiversity. The study highlights the significant role of China in the global context of meat consumption, emphasizing the need for developed countries to significantly reduce their per capita meat consumption, while developing countries should focus on sustainable practices. The success of initiatives like the campaign against shark fin soup consumption in China demonstrates the potential for changing dietary habits to benefit the environment. The study advocates for a shift towards a global average of 10% or less of calories from animal products, while also supporting the development of plant-based diets. The study’s findings have significant implications for policy, public health, and conservation efforts, stressing the necessity of integrated strategies to address the complex challenges posed by livestock production and its impact on biodiversity. The study emphasizes the importance of reducing demand for animal-based food products, particularly meat from ruminant sources, and replacing them with more efficient and sustainable protein sources, such as poultry, pigs, and integrated aquaculture. Furthermore, it advocates for reintegrating livestock production into diverse agroecological systems to minimize the environmental footprint and promote biodiversity conservation. The findings suggest that a combination of reduced consumption, a shift towards more sustainable protein sources, and integrated production systems could mitigate the detrimental effects of livestock production, contributing to both environmental sustainability and improved human health. The study emphasizes the need for political, financial, and cultural support to facilitate these changes, ensuring a sustainable future for both human well-being and the planet’s biodiversity. The research highlights the role of livestock-driven climate change and its contribution to greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, underscoring the need for livestock sector emissions reductions to contribute to biodiversity conservation. The study also underscores the role of ruminants in greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the importance of switching to less emission-intensive livestock production. The research calls for the adoption of ecologically-based agricultural practices, promoting ecosystem health and sustainable food production systems.
IFFS Team Summary
- https://tinyurl.com/y2bjor7f = highlighted version
- Animal agriculture is the “single largest source of habitat loss
- by 2050 several large countries will requires 30-50% increase in total agricultural area at current rates in population and consumption growth
- One of the single most powerful causes of biodiversity loss
- especially apex predators and large herbivores
- Livestock production is also a leading cause of climate change, soil loss, water and nutrient pollution, and decreases of apex predators and wild herbivores, compounding pressures on ecosystems and biodiversity.
- Facilitation of invasive species
- Recommends increased consumption of plant protein as first line. i.e. 90% of diet worldwide
- and switching animal protein away from ruminants as second
- Over past 300 years
- global cropland increased 5x
- pasture increased 6x – which is 3.5x the area of the USA
- 1/2 of all natural grasslands, 1/3 of forests destroyed
- 1800’s was in temperate areas – 1900s in tropical areas
- Amazon rainforest – converted for meat production
- Amazon clearance slowed 2006-2010, partly because the biodiverse Cerrado area of Brazil increased pasture and soy
- But Amazon deforestation then accelerated to 1898 km2 in only 9 months of 2014
- Multiple countries in the Americas also have extensive rainforest deforestation
- Bushmeat and hunting are an immediate threat – esp in Africa and South East Asia
- wild ungulates also have disease transferred from livestock
- wild animals lose access to water due to humans
- 25 Biodiverse hotspots exist on the earth
- they have been diminished by 90% – mainly due to animal agriculture
- >90% in Madagascar, Sundaland, Brazil’s Atlantic Forest
- 2011 3.6 Billion domestic ruminants (cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep)