Reduce meat and dairy production to cut emissions, says study

Livestock farming is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. The Lancet study said the contribution of agriculture and food production to global emissions is 10-12 per cent, and livestock farming accounts for four-fifths of those emissions.

Researchers therefore concluded that achieving a substantial reduction in emissions will depend on reducing the production of food from livestock. This means cutting down on dairy and meat products.

Reducing livestock production would also have a positive effect on public health, according to the report.

It estimated that consuming 30 per cent less saturated fat from animal sources would reduce heart disease amongst the UK’s adult population by around 15 per cent. To view the executive summary of the new series of Lancet articles on health and climate change click here​.