Is veganism better for our planet?

A huge body of evidence supports a global shift to vegan diets to save the planet. Here are some of the highlights taken from our Envirocidal report.

75% of the world’s agricultural land is used for raising animals – this includes animal feed, pasture and grazing.
Foley J. A. et al. 2011. Solutions for a cultivated planet. Nature. ¹

75% of the world's agricultural land is
used for raising animals.

Agriculture is the single biggest cause of air pollution in europe, contributing more than residential energy use or power generation.
Lelieveld, J. et al. 2015. The contribution of outdoor air pollution sources to premature mortality on a global scale. Nature. ²

Agriculture is the single biggest cause o
f air pollution in Europe.

Meat, fish, eggs and dairy use around 83% of the world’s farmland and contribute 56-58% of food’s different emissions but only provide 37% of the protein we eat and 18% of calories.
Poore, J and Nemecek, T. 2018. Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science. ³

Meat, fish, eggs and dairy use around 83% of the world's farmland and contribute 56-58% of food's different emissions.

Livestock production is responsible for 70% of global freshwater consumption.
World Watch Institute. 2004. State of the World 2004. ⁴

Livestock production is responsible for 70% of global freshwater consumption.

In the amazon rainforest, 80% of deforested land is used for cattle grazing.
Veiga J.B., et al. 2002. Cattle ranching in the Amazon rainforest. Animal Production Sciences. ⁵

In the Amazon rainforest, 80% of deforested land is used for cattle grazing.

If we continue at the same rate, 88% of our fishing stocks will be overfished by 2050.
Worm B. 2016. Averting a global fisheries disaster. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ⁶

If we continue at the same rate, 88% of our fishing stocks will be overfished by 2050.

One in nine people in the world today are undernourished, yet around a third of the world’s cereal harvest is fed to animals.
Government Office for Science. 2011. Foresight Project on Global Food and Farming Futures Synthesis Report. ⁷

One in nine people in the world today are undernourished.

If the world went vegan, it could save up to 8 million lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds, and could lead to health-care related savings and avoided climate damages of $1.5 trillion.
Springmann, M. et al. 2016. Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change. PNAS. ⁸

If the world went vegan, it could save up to 8 million lives by 2050.

Vegan diets result in 76% less land use and 50% less greenhouse gas emissions.
Government Office for Science. 2011. Foresight Project on Global Food and Farming Futures Synthesis Report. ⁹

Vegan diets result in 76% less land use and 50% less greenhouse gas emissions.

Reducing animal products in the diet could save enough water for 1.8 billion people.
Jalava, M. et al. 2014. Diet change – a solution to reduce water use? Environmental Research Letters. ¹⁰

Reducing animal products in the diet could save enough water for 1.8 billion people.

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References

1
Foley JA, Ramankutty N, Brauman KA, Cassidy ES, Gerber JS, Johnston M, Mueller ND, O’Connell C, Ray DK, West PC, Balzer C, Bennett EM, Carpenter SR, Hill J, Monfreda C, Polasky S, Rockström J, Sheehan J, Siebert S, Tilman D and Zaks DP. 2011. Solutions for a cultivated planet. Nature. 478 (7369) 337-342.
2
Lelieveld J, Evans JS, Fnais M, Giannadaki D and Pozzer A. 2015. The contribution of outdoor air pollution sources to premature mortality on a global scale. Nature. 525 (7569) 367-371.
3
Poore, J and Nemecek, T. 2018. Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science. 360. 987-992.
4
World Watch Institute. 2004. State of the World 2004. WWI Report. http://www.greeneconomics.net/StateOfWorld-2004.pdf
5
Veiga JB, Tourrand JF, Poccard-Chapuis R, and Piketty MG. 2002. Cattle ranching in the Amazon rainforest. Anim. Prod. Aust. 24. 253-256
6
Worm B. 2016. Averting a global fisheries disaster. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
7
Government Office for Science. 2011. Foresight Project on Global Food and Farming Futures Synthesis Report C1: Trends in food demand and production.
8
Springmann, M. et al. 2016. Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change. PNAS.
9
Government Office for Science. 2011. Foresight Project on Global Food and Farming Futures Synthesis Report.
10
Jalava M, Kummu M, Porkka M, Siebert S, Varis O. 2014. Diet change – a solution to reduce water use? Environmental Research Letters. 9, 074016.