Nature - Shifting Away From Meat Would Substantially Improve Climate; Meanwhile, Americans Eating More Meat Than Ever
A global shift to mostly plant-based diets with minimal processed foods and red meat, coupled with a large decrease in food waste, would decrease greenhouse gas emissions by more than 85% by 2050 compared to 2020 agricultural emissions, according to a new study. The study, published Wednesday in Nature, calculated the economic and environmental impacts of people across the world adopting a diet that mostly consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and legumes, with a massive decrease in red meat, ultra-processed foods, dairy and added sugars, along with a halving of global food waste. They found that such changes would slash greenhouse gas emissions and spur an estimated 6% decrease in farmland and a 17% decrease in farm production over the next 25 years when compared to the current trajectory.
EDIT
The study comes as people in the US are eating more meat than ever. An annual Food Industry Association survey released in March showed that the vast majority of Americans view meat as part of a healthy diet and that meat sales hit a record high in 2025, reaching $112 billion.
Meat featured prominently in the new US dietary guidelines released in January that emphasized protein from animal products. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the guidelines would “revolutionize” the nation’s food culture. Meat eating has been central to the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement — a slogan and coalition promoted and kickstarted by Kennedy, a carnivore diet adherent himself.
Americans also get a large percentage of calories from ultra-processed foods. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study examining food consumption from 2021-2023 and found that about 55% of total calories consumed by Americans came from ultra-processed foods. For children, it was nearly 62%.
EDIT
https://www.thenewlede.org/2026/07/planetary-health-diet-greenhouse-gases/
= new reply since forum marked as read
Just insane.
When I made the choice to become vegetarian, in the 70s, it was difficult to source items to cook in various international cuisines that are more Vege friendly. Today the choices are great and broadly available.
I’ve become an accomplished Vege cook, and my friends and family are always happy for me to cook for them.
That being said… not dead yet, and I don’t take ANY prescription drugs, have zero health issues and hike four miles three to five days a week weather permitting.I am not preaching, just wanted to make the point that a meat heavy diet is not the only way to be healthy.
At 72, I feel like I am my own case study.
