HAVE you ever heard people saying that changing to a vegan diet or consuming less meat could help save the world? Do you find this hard to believe? Well, according to researchers from the Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford, “a global switch to diets that rely less on meat and more on fruit and vegetables could save up to 8 million lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds, and lead to healthcare-related savings and avoided climate damages of US$1.5 trillion (RM6.4 trillion)! Now, these are figures for us to chew on!
Climate change arising from global warming is the result of the increasing emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. How does meat production contribute to global warming more than the production of fruits and vegetables, you may wonder.
Firstly, livestock such as chickens and cows produce carbon dioxide by breathing and more importantly, copious amounts of methane gas through their manure and belching (or burping). Methane gas contributes many more times to global warming than carbon dioxide because of its ability to contain heat.
Secondly, forests and jungles have to be cleared to make way for grazing land for livestock. The clearing of natural greenery reduces carbon sinks which puts more CO2 into the atmosphere.
Thirdly, the energy used up to produce feedlot for livestock also increases C02 emissions into the atmosphere.
The impact of livestock on greenhouse gas emissions even prompted a Guardian headline to state that “giving up beef will reduce carbon footprint more than cars”!
In Malaysia, our beef consumption adds another layer of CO2 emissions because over 80% of our beef is imported from overseas, which means more fuel has to be burnt when this meat is transported to our shores.
The federal government has many national policies already in place which contribute towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as the introduction of the feed-in-tariff for the production of solar energy, biomass, biogas and micro-hydro dams, the introduction of incentives to produce energy efficient vehicles (EEVs) and the expansion of public transportation to reduce the number of cars on the road.
These policies are an important first step. But besides that, increasing the production of locally-reared livestock will reduce carbon emissions. Encouraging consumers to buy local farmer products or switching from beef to chicken will also decrease our carbon footprint. The most important step a person can make to play his or her part in reducing carbon emissions is to make a conscious decision to consume less meat, as this will have a significant effect upon the environment.
Chances are that the man on the street will not be too receptive to calls for them to reduce meat consumption in order to save the planet or reduce carbon emissions. The idea would seem too abstract and the immediate impact of climate change is too insignificant to prompt an individual to change his or her food consumption patterns. We need to appeal to more tangible benefits for the individual consumer.
For example, switching from meat to fruits and vegetables as a way to a healthier lifestyle may be more attractive, especially to the younger generation. Decreasing meat consumption as a way to decrease obesity may be another strategy. Obesity is already a very serious problem in Malaysia with the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2015 categorising 17.7% of the population as obese and a further 30% as overweight.
Merely ‘encouraging’ Malaysians to decrease their meat consumption through public campaigns and advertisements may not be that effective. After all, we have had many warnings on how uncontrolled sugar consumption can lead to an early onset of diabetes and yet our ‘teh tarik’ is still as sweet as ever.
Economic incentives may be needed, for example, by introducing cheaper medical insurance for individuals that practice healthier lifestyle habits, including lower meat consumption. (After all, one’s life insurance premium is affected by whether or not one is a smoker, for example.
Of course, we should not neglect the fact that the production of fruits and vegetables also leaves a carbon footprint. Incentives should be given and policies should be made to encourage more sustainable farming practices which use less land, water, fertiliser and pesticides. This way, the impact of switching from meat to fruits and vegetables will be even greater.
To conclude, dietary changes can kill two birds with one stone by not only reducing our greenhouse gas emissions but also make us a nation with healthier people. – July 2, 2017.
* Esther Sinirisan Chong is a member of Agora Society. She was born and raised in the Land Below the Wind. Her research interest lies in education and government policies, and the history and heritage of East Malaysia.
* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.
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