The short answer is, “Probably, but much less than today.” Many studies have aimed to estimate what consumption in line with climate goals (as well as other sustainability targets) might look like. They commonly suggest a significant reduction in meat consumption, especially beef. Globally, beef consumption may need to be cut by about half. How much meat we can eat depends on factors such as:
- The emissions produced by other sectors, which affects the remaining emissions “space”
- Technological advancements in agriculture (e.g., phasing out fossil fuels)
- The type of meat consumed. Beef (and other ruminant meats) has higher emissions than pork and, particularly, chicken.
How much meat an individual can consume also depends on how the emission budget is distributed among different countries and groups. For instance, certain groups in society may have special needs, requiring others to limit their meat consumption to near zero to keep total emissions within climate targets.
Reduced meat consumption also decreases land use, which supports biodiversity conservation. A certain number of grazing animals are needed to maintain meadows, but this requires far fewer animals than we currently have.
Further reading: EAT-Lancet Commission
About author:
Göran Finnveden
Program Director and Professor in Environmental Strategic Analysis at the Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Sciences and Engineering (SEED), KTH, Stockholm
My research is focused on sustainable consumption, circular economy and methods for environmental and sustainability assessments of different types of products and systems. In the program I am the director and also leading a project on sustainable consumption and macro-economic effects.
