According to the UK government’s official climate advisers, the country has to curb emissions from farming practices, agro-forestry and consumer habits if it has to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
In a report prepared by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the government’s official advisers insisted that the UK needs to reduce 64% of its land emissions to meet its climate targets by 2050.
“We can’t meet the government’s 2050 Net Zero target without major changes in the way we use the land, the way we farm, and what we eat,” CCC’s chief executive Chris Stark told BBC News.
Emission control measures
The committee outlined some measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which include a 20 % reduction in beef, lamb and dairy intake and a 20% reduction in food waste.
Managing dietary habits and reducing food waste alone could save the equivalent of seven million tonnes of CO2 from farms, the report claimed.
Other recommendations include planting more trees to increase UK’s green cover to at least 17%, restoring peatlands, growing bioenergy crops with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), managing fertilizer usage, and improving livestock health.
Drop in livestock
The report stated that reducing meat consumption could lead to a 10% drop in cattle and sheep numbers by 2050, but this would still be less than the 20% decline experienced in the UK in the past two decades.
While the farming union NFU acknowledged the report’s other assessments, it objected to the cuts levied on livestock.
“Plant-based products do not always necessarily have a lower impact on the environment,” said NFU President Minette Batters.
“Of British land, 65% is only suitable for grazing livestock and we have the right climate to produce high quality red meat and dairy. Therefore, it makes sense that, when talking about environmental impact, the public continues to support British livestock production.”
George Monbiot, a re-wilding campaigner was also not impressed with the report’s propositions. He said: “The level of ambition is in no way matched to the scale of our climate and ecological emergencies.
“People in the UK are already reducing their red meat consumption.
“A 10% reduction in cattle and sheep numbers by 2050 is likely to be much smaller than the shift that’s going to happen anyway, without the help of the measures the committee proposes.”
What do you think of the report? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Gordon Ramsay Ditches Vegan Hate and Backs Flora’s Plant-Based Butter in New ‘Skip the Cow’ Campaign
- Totally Vegan Buzz Team
- 28th January 2025
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, once infamous for his digs at vegans, has taken a sharp turn in the kitchen. Ramsay has teamed up with Flora, the famous UK-based spread brand, as its global ambassador, marking a bold new chapter in Flora’s “Skip the Cow” campaign. Flora, established in 1964, has long been a household name …
The Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Places in Latin America
- Totally Vegan Buzz Team
- 27th January 2025
Latin America is experiencing an extraordinary rise in plant-based dining options. A new study, spearheaded by Veganuary in partnership with the food discovery platform HappyCow, reveals that Latin America now boasts over 10,000 vegan, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly restaurants—an impressive 21.6% jump compared to last year. Brazil takes the crown as the number one country, with …
Continue reading “The Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Places in Latin America”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. [wpViralQuiz id=27203]
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. [wpViralQuiz id=33494]
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. [wpViralQuiz id=31281] Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God