News/Commentary

United Nations climate police demand that people eat less meat

November 28, 2023 | | Print Article

The United Nations has a message for the world’s most developed nations: Eat less meat.

Not only are consumers supposed to go electric by ditching their gas-powered vehicles and trading in their stoves, but now climate zealots are aiming to reduce carbon emissions by destroying the world’s farming industries.

In a first “net zero plan” for food, the United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) will reportedly be rolling out guidance at next month’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28 summit in Dubai.

“Nations that over-consume meat will be advised to limit their intake, while developing countries — where under-consumption of meat adds to a prevalent nutrition challenge — will need to improve their livestock farming, according to the FAO,” according to Bloomberg.

“Although non-binding, the FAO’s plan is expected to inform policy and investment decisions and give a push to the food industry’s climate transition which has lagged other sectors in commitments,” the outlet continued, contending that “food systems account for about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and much of that footprint is linked to livestock farming.”

Dhanush Dinesh, the founder of Clim-Eat, warns that “If we don’t tackle the livestock problem, we are not going to solve climate change. The key problem is overconsumption.”

The meat-eaters in more developed countries will reportedly be told to curb their appetites while farmers in developing countries will be directed to more sustainable methods of increasing productivity.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Other recommendations will cover issues from how farmers adapt to an increasingly erratic weather to tackling key sources of emissions like food waste and post-harvest loss or fertilizer use, according to the FAO. The plan will be rolled out in three parts over the next few years to eventually include country-specific recommendations,” Bloomberg reported.

“The road map has the potential to offer a ‘shared direction of travel’ for livestock companies and their investors, mirroring the role of the International Energy Agency’s net zero document for the energy sector, according to FAIRR Initiative, an investor network focused on intensive animal production,” the outlet continued.

Some reports indicate that China is still considered a developing nation by the U.N. and may not have to abide by the new guidelines.

“The United Nations agency that is pushing wealthy nations to curb their meat consumption in the name of climate change is led by a top Chinese Communist Party official who is known for using the agency to serve Beijing,” The Washington Free Beacon reported, referring to Qu Dongyu.

According to Free Beacon:

ADVERTISEMENT

The Qu-led initiative to limit meat consumption in wealthy nations comes as China uses climate change to influence U.S. energy policy and cozy up to American politicians. The University of California, Berkeley’s California-China Climate Institute, for example, partners with several CCP front groups that work to advance China’s “global agenda.” The institute has called for the increased adoption of electric vehicles, which are commonly produced using Chinese materials.

A reduction in global meat production, meanwhile, could help alleviate Chinese concerns over food security and land scarcity.

 

The push for changes in the cattle and farming industries comes after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) last year gave a thumbs up for the use of the Lesser mealworm for human consumption, following a move in 2021 that green-lighted the Yellow mealworm being used in food products.

“Over 2.5 billion people regularly eat insects as part of their day-to-day diet and whilst it used to be seen as ‘icky’ in western economies, it is increasingly seen as a viable healthy alternative to rising food prices and environmental over-consumption by the food industry,” Forbes reported last year.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to the FAO data, the average American consumes about 127 kilograms – roughly 280 pounds – of meat a year. This stands in contrast to consumption in Nigeria which averages about 7 kilograms – around 15 pounds – and just 3 kilograms ( 6.6 pounds) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bloomberg notes that the “Eat-Lancet Commission recommends people consume no more than 15.7 kilograms of meat a year.”

Social media users reacted unsurprisingly to the “food industry’s climate transition” as dictated by the U.N.

ADVERTISEMENT

Frieda Powers
Latest posts by Frieda Powers (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles