Physical Wellness

To Meet Climate Targets, Hold On Meat And Dairy Consumption Might Be Necessary

By Kamal Nayan | Update Date: Mar 31, 2014 09:29 AM EDT

Greenhouse gas emissions especially from food production might be threatening the UN climate target of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, according to a new research. 

The research noted that the CO2 emissions from the energy and transportation sectors accounts for the largest share of climate pollution. 

However, an another related study pointed that eliminating these emissions would also not guarantee staying below the UN limit.

Researchers also added that if agricultural emissions are not taken care of, nitrous oxide from agricultural fields and methane from livestock might double by 2070. 

"We have shown that reducing meat and dairy consumption is key to bringing agricultural climate pollution down to safe levels," says Fredrik Hedenus, one of the study authors in the press release. "Broad dietary change can take a long time. We should already be thinking about how we can make our food more climate friendly."

Further the report noted that in the next five decades diets in meat, milk, cheese and other food associated with high emissions will rise as agricultural emissions are difficult and expensive to reduce via changes in production methods or technology.

"These emissions can be reduced with efficiency gains in meat and dairy production, as well as with the aid of new technology," added co-author Stefan Wirsenius. "But the potential reductions from these measures are fairly limited and will probably not suffice to keep us within the climate limit, if meat and dairy consumption continue to grow."

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) presented their report on the impacts of climate change on Monday 31 March.

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