The World Of Tzu Chi December 2019 (Vol.117)

22 2019 • 12 eature of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are also resulting in ocean acidification, besides altering the composition, structure and functionality of our ecosystems. Moreover, reports by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the FAO have inferred that worldwide meat consumption has been increasing and will continue to increase in the future, contributing to total carbon dioxide emissions. Statistics from the FAO indicate that global demand for beef and other ruminant meats is estimated to grow by 88 percent between 2010 and 2050. The organization also estimated that 2,000 animals are sacrificed every second – totalling more than 100 million lives each day – to satisfy the global demand for meat, besides generating air, water and soil pollution in the process. The sixth edition of the Global Environment Outlook report by the UNEP highlighted the wide-reaching effects of climate change on both humans and nature, citing ongoing greenhouse gas emissions as a significant factor in causing global warming, rising sea levels and melting glaciers, besides calling attention to several pertinent environmental issues related to food production and supply. According to the report, food production is the largest contributor to land use for human activities, accounting for 50 percent of habitable land, while livestock farming occupies 77 percent of agricultural land for feed production and pastures for grazing. In addition to extensive land use, the livestock industry exhausts a substantial amount of water resources. Research by the Food production accounts for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions Animal products account for 58 percent of food emissions Beef and lamb account for 50 percent of all livestock emissions Source: Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science , as cited by the BBC Food 26% Other greenhouse gas emissions 74% Animal products 58% Other food sources 42% Beef and lamb 50% Other animal products 50% The impact of food production on the environment