UN: Meat Reduction Paramount for Environment

The United Nations Environment Programme’s October Global Environment Alert Service is focused entirely on the growing environmental cost of meat production. The alert states, “As meat supply and consumption increase around the world, more sustainable food systems must be encouraged,” and examines various scientific evidence including world average for meat consumption—93 pounds per year—with Americans consuming the most at 265 pounds per year and China’s market growing the fastest. The overarching message of the release is that only benefit can be derived from a decrease in meat consumption, and its authors anticipate that in order to significantly change the way we eat, it will take “a long campaign … incentives to meat producers and consumers.”