One Modest reduction in meat production in leading countries could help combat climate change revealed a new study carried out by members of the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The researchers observed that cuts of around 13% of total output in meat production in high-income countries would reduce the amount of land needed for livestock grazing allowing forests to regenerate naturally.
The highlighted number is considerably lower than scientists and environmental activists have called in recent years according to the study.
The return of trees, which have the capacity to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), would result in a significant reduction in fossil fuel emissions, which, according to the study authors, would be equivalent to approximately three years of global emissions.
“We can achieve huge climate benefits from modest changes in total global beef production. By focusing on regions with potentially high carbon sequestration in forests, some restoration strategies could maximize climate benefits while minimizing changes to food supplies,” he says. Matthew N. Hayek main author of the analysis.
The research concluded that pastures, especially in areas that were once forests, are promising for reducing climate change. When livestock are removed from areas of “potential native forest,” ecosystems can revert to their natural forest state, capturing carbon in the trees and soil.
“This is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Our findings show that strategic improvements in cattle herd efficiency in some areas, coupled with decreased production in others, can lead to a win-win scenario for climate and food production,” explains Hayek.
The study reveals an even greater potential for combating climate change if the restoration of areas is expanded. Researchers found that if all cattle, sheep and other grazing animals were removed from areas with potentially native forests around the world, it would be possible to absorb up to 445 gigatons of CO2 by the end of the century — which is equivalent to more than one decade of current global fossil fuel emissions.
The study used remote sensing technology to monitor pasture productivity – the amount of grass produced annually that livestock can consume – so that it was possible to estimate the climate benefits that reductions would bring.
This content was originally published in Modest reduction in meat production already reverses climate change, says study on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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