The
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the European Commission
have jointly launched a major report calling for radical change in the
way that economies use resources known to be dwindling at alarming
rates, in order to minimize environmental impact.
The study,
titled “Assessing Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production:
Priority Products and Materials,” identified two leading causes of
environmental pressure: fossil fuels and agriculture, with specific
attention given to the livestock raising sector.
Authored by
researchers from the UNEP-hosted International Panel for Sustainable
Resource Management, the report states: “Agriculture and food
consumption are identified as one of the most important drivers of
environmental pressures, especially habitat change, climate change,
water use and toxic emissions.”
The report further explains that
with a growing global population and developing economies, the impacts
of climate change and environmental degradation will be even more
dangerous – unless patterns of production and consumption, especially
starting at home, become more sustainable.
Particularly
highlighted is the fact that an unsustainably large proportion of the
world’s crops are currently fed to livestock, resulting in such damaging
effects as excessively high water consumption and toxic use of
pesticides and fertilizers, with the report saying that a global drop in
meat consumption is vital to avoid devastating consequences.
The
authors state: “A substantial reduction of impacts would only be
possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal
products.”
UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner further
highlighted the destructive role of livestock, stating, “Two broad areas
are currently having a disproportionately high impact on people and the
planet's life support systems—these are energy in the form of fossil
fuels and agriculture, especially the raising of livestock for meat and
dairy products…Some tough choices are signaled in this report, but it
may prove even more challenging for everyone if the current paths
continue into the coming decades.”
The report, which will be
presented to world governments, urges policy makers to adopt strict but
creative measures to avoid these adverse consequences.
Our
appreciation, Executive Director Steiner, United Nations Environment
Program, European Commission and International Panel for Sustainable
Resource Management scientists for your leadership in stating the need
to prioritize a widespread shift to a diet free of animal products. May
wise governments and individuals worldwide quickly heed this call to
ensure the survival of lives on Earth.
Supreme Master Ching Hai
has similarly spoken on many occasions of the immense toll of meat and
fish production on the planet, tirelessly urging for a global switch to
plant-based fare, as in the following excerpt from an October 2009
videoconference in Germany.
Supreme Master Ching Hai:
But even though our predicament is very grave, we do still have time if
we act now. And the solution is still very simple. Well, you know it,
right? It’s the vegan diet – no animal products.
According to
the most recent figures from scientists, livestock raising is actually
responsible for more than 50% of global warming. The original United
Nations report in 2006, “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” spoke in bold terms
even already about the damage caused by the livestock industry, saying
that, “It is one of the topmost significant contributors to the most
serious environmental problems at every scale, from local to global.”
First,
depleted land and forests. According to the United Nations, livestock
is the main reason for deforestation which in turn is causing tragic
declines in natural biodiversity.
Second, wasted resources. For every kilogram of animal protein produced, livestock are fed about 6 kilograms of plant protein.
Third,
wasted water. Scientists have found that each person eating a meat and
dairy based diet uses around 4,500 gallons of water per day, compared to
300 gallons per day for a vegan diet.
Fourth, wasted energy. It
takes 8 times as much fossil fuel to produce animal products as to
produce plant food. This is the key. If everyone switches to this
beneficial lifestyle, our planet will be cooled in no time,
scientifically speaking and my promise.
http://www.unep.org/resourcepanel/documents/pdf/PriorityProductsAndMaterials_Report_Full.pdfhttp://www.uneptie.org/shared/publications/pdf/WEBx0159xPA-PriorityProductsAndMaterials_Summary_EN.pdfhttp://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34886&Cr=sustainability&Cr1=http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34886&Cr=sustainability&Cr1=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE6501M0.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/avservices/player/streaming.cfm?type=ebsvod&sid=161127 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/02/un-report-meat-free-diethttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7797594/Eat-less-meat-to-save-the-planet-UN.html
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