Glee for Climate Campaigners as Chinas new dietary guidelines aim to reduce meat consumption by 50%!

The new dietary guidelines, released by The Chinese Nutrition Society every 10 years, are designed to improve public health. Should they be followed and the consumption of meat be reduced by 50% China could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock industry by 1bn tonnes by 2030. 

Did you know?

Currently, animal-based food emanates 14.5% of planet-warming emissions – this is more emissions than the entire transport sector!

 The high emissions are caused by a number of factors including the livestock each emitting methane, land clearing for keeping the animals and fertilizers which release large quantities of carbon.

 Consumers have been called upon to reduce their consumption of animal-based food from approximately 300 grams to 200 grams a day and their total meat consumption from approximately 62 kg to 27 kg per year.

 A report by scientists at the Oxford Martin School recently noted that an almost two-thirds reduction in greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved if a widespread adoption of vegetarianism would occur internationally. 

Meat has gone from rare delicacy to a key staple for many Chinese people over the last 30+ years. This is thought to be due to China becoming a global economic power. China currently consumes 28% of the world’s total meat, including half of its pork.

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Sources:

·         https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/20/chinas-meat-consumption-climate-change

·         https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/21/eat-less-meat-vegetarianism-dangerous-global-warming

·         http://dg.cnsoc.org/article/04/8a2389fd54b964c80154c1d781d90197.html

·         Photograph: Wong Campion/Reuters