Is meat really a threat to the planet?

What is meat?

The balance of man allows a balance of nature, this statement is unfortunately not often applied and this is the case for meat. Nowadays, the amount of meat consumption affects several sensitive issues such as the economy, health or the environment, which constantly calls into question the nature of its impact. Meat has always been a food excessively consumed by a major part of the world's population. During the glorious thirties, an era took hold: that of “the happiness of consumption”, synonymous with modernity and prosperity, the consumption of meat in turn doubled and became an essential food in the meals of the French. From the Homo erectus era to the present day, meat has commonly been the center of human diet, not only by its taste but also by its many scientifically proven dietary intakes. Rich in protein, iron and vitamins such as B12, meat gave way to the development of the brain of Homo Erectus and continues to provide the energy supply necessary for man.

Overconsume?

But all excessively consumed components bring a negative impact without intermediary. This statement was very quickly confirmed on several stretches. This has caused a very obvious drop of more than 12% during the last decade in meat consumption according to a report of the study by the Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions (Crédoc). Despite this drop, this rate is only a small proportion in view of the statistics viewed for the next few years. This could grow by 13% by 2028 in view of the growing increase in the world population but also because of the longevity of human life.

When is the planet good news or not?

To tell the truth, overconsumption never mixes well with the environment and meat is no exception.

Meat, and red meat specifically, is one of the foods that impacts the environment the most in terms of production.

Although its global caloric consumption represents only 18%, it has one of the largest emissions in the food sector. More concisely, livestock “produces a lot of greenhouse gases to end up filling only part of our plate”.

But where does this pollution come from?

Raising animals requires a lot of resources and space. Animal husbandry alone accounts for 1⁄4 of the earth's surface. This will obviously occur to the detriment of many forests and green spaces which will sacrifice themselves for a space suitable for this type of activity. Each year 13 million hectares are transformed into fields. The destruction of forests releases a lot of carbon stored in the trees, which naturally pollutes.

It is not just one more green space that is disappearing but the product of the destruction of biodiversity which is the very source of the proper functioning of the earth.

Feeding animals pollutes considerably, since farmers use copiously of CO2-generating fertilizers to accelerate the growth of grasses to feed them.

Animals during their digestion phase emanates a large amount of methane. It is a powerful gas that has a warming power 80 times more powerful than that of CO2.

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Is energy a major agricultural issue?

First of all it is important to underline that it is not the meat that is polluting in itself but the way in which it is produced. Farmers use direct energy (fuels, electricity, motor fuels, etc.) as well as indirect (manufacture and transport of inputs to the farm).

This fuel is widely used by farmers. In one year, the energy statement amounts to an average of 12,000 euros, ie twice as much as 20 years ago. At the global level, energy exploitation amounts to 3.2 billion euros.

It is also very important to note that agriculture represents 3% of energy consumption behind industry (19%) and transport (23%).

In 2020, with a rate of 21% of greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture ranks fifth.

All meats have the same impact?

There are different types of meat, which obviously has a different energy impact. The type of agriculture, the farming method or quite simply the type of meat greatly influences the gas emission of this meat.

Chicken ? Beef ? Calf ? What is the meat that requires the most water or, on the contrary, the most durable?

How about a ranking?

We can see from the image that the red meat that consumes the most water is beef:

1kg of meat → 15415 liters of water

1kg of mutton → 8763 liters of water

1kg of pork → 5988 liters of water

1kg of chicken → 4325 liters of water

Solutions?

There is no shortage of solutions and can even be classified into several categories.

From an energy point of view, farmers can employ several practices for more pleasant farming.

→ One of the most obvious first points is the massive use of renewable energy such as solar thermal energy, in particular through photovoltaic panels, for the production of electricity or for the capture and treatment of water. We also have biomass, which creates heat.

Another very interesting practice is the methanization of agricultural products, so this process makes it possible to create a renewable energy called Biogas from the deterioration of organic matter by bacteria and without oxygen. For agriculture, it can act as a natural fertilizer and can be converted from organic nitrogen to mineral nitrogen for better assimilation by plants.

→ It is also possible to reduce energy consumption through several actions. Waste energy can be transformed into profitable energy, as with the heat of condensation. It is obviously much more convenient to store the resources used, such as hot water.

→ Several other tips may be available to farmers and can gradually improve this practice. We use animal excrement to make natural fertilizer, when it is spread in the right dosage, it saves fertilizers and therefore indirectly reduces greenhouse gases.

→ To reduce carbon borrowing, we can limit the import of animal feed but also the import of meat in general. → There is also the Carbon Agri method, this action plan targets farmers dedicated to a more sustainable and healthy agriculture. She

is based on level 2 CAP'2ER® tools with an accompanying measure for producers. It accompanies farmers throughout the process to reduce their carbon borrowing as much as possible. To certify their environmental statistics, several institutes such as the CNIEL, the Livestock Institute or the National Confederation of Livestock have come together to develop this methodology. One can easily recognize if a production is part of this affiliation by their label. A strategy is obviously put in place by Carbon on 6 very distinct axes to achieve their objectives as effectively as possible. Promoting research and innovation to produce differently or ensuring a high level of eco-responsibility can be annotated.

It is also important to point out that this association implemented new aid in July 2022, it concerns more particularly landlords who will be able to benefit from bonuses such as the CEE (Energy Saving Certificate) per gesture or the CEE powerful renovation boost. They make it possible in a more concise way to benefit from financial aid that supports the investments made by the producer for greener agriculture.

→ For animals, we can also sort out foods that could limit methane emissions as much as possible. We have foods like squids or microbial proteins for cows.

Can we do better?

Sure !! We as consumers can participate in it with obviously a consumption of meat which should be less. This will not only support greener agriculture but will also provide the food supply the human body needs. As a reminder, an excess of meat consumption can become very new to humans and will be more likely to contract diseases such as type 2 diabetes or intestinal cancer. Everything is therefore a story of food balance for a better life. Several diets can be adopted: the vegetarian diet, flexitarian, vegan.... So many diets that can make

savings in greenhouse gas emissions. This is what the IPCC (the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program), to rule:

Vegan diet → around 8 gigatonnes of CO2 saved per year. Vegetarian diet → around 6 gigatonnes of CO2 saved per year.

The LJE team La Jeunesse Écolo