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Cut meat and dairy output by a third to save climate, British farmers told

(The Guardian, 8 Feb 2022) WWF report says reduction must be made in the next 10 years to tackle climate crisis and nature loss.

British farmers must reduce their production of meat and dairy by a third in the next 10 years if scientific advice on limiting greenhouse gas emissions is to be met, the conservation charity WWF has said.

Even greater cuts may be needed to the UK’s pig herds and poultry flocks, because of the imported feed they eat, and people will need to eat much less meat than they do today, the charity warned. But the result would be lower greenhouse gas emissions, a countryside with more wildlife and flourishing nature, and better health, according to the report.

Tanya Steele, chief executive of WWF, said: “If we are serious about tackling the twin threats of climate change and nature loss, farming and land use can’t be an afterthought. Many UK farmers are already using their skills and expertise to produce food as sustainably as possible, but they won’t be able to fix a broken system on their own.”

Livestock are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, from the methane they produce and through the carbon associated with the feed they eat. WWF said the UK’s imports of soy for animal feed must be cut by about a fifth by 2030, as it is associated with deforestation and the overuse of fertiliser overseas.

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The Guardian, 8 Feb 2022: Cut meat and dairy output by a third to save climate, British farmers told