Could reducing the consumption of meat and milk help mitigate the effects of global warming? According to the FAO report presented at COP28 in Dubai, the contraction in consumption could limit the production of greenhouse gases by just 2-5%. An estimate based on a study dating back to 2017, which the authors themselves – physicists Paul Behrens and Matthew Hayek, respectively from Leiden University and New York University – have “challenged” by contesting the Organization’s conclusions of the United Nations. According to the FAO report, considering that the demand for meat and derivatives will grow by approximately 20% by 2050, in line with the increase in the world population, to combat climate change effectively it would be more useful to take action on other fronts, especially by introducing significant improvements in breeding techniques. How are these estimates made at the local level? And how are they put together globally? Is reducing per capita meat consumption really not a good climate strategy? We talk about it with Francesco Tubiello, head of agri-environmental statistics at FAO. Francesca Buoninconti at the microphone
07 May 2024
