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"All three patterns had similar water depletion impacts, with fruits and vegetables as major contributors. For five of the six impacts, the VEG pattern had 42–84% lower burdens than both the US and MED patterns. Reliance on plant-based protein and eggs in the VEG pattern versus emphasis on animal-based protein in the other patterns was a key driver of differences, as was a lower overall protein foods recommendation in the VEG pattern."
"impacts of the lowest-impact animal products typically exceed those of vegetable substitutes ... We consider a second scenario where consumption of each animal product is halved by replacing production with above-median GHG emissions with vegetable equivalents. This achieves 73% of the previous scenario’s GHG reduction and 67, 64, and 55% of the land use, acidification, and eutrophication reductions. "
"The world’s biggest meat and dairy companies could surpass ExxonMobil, Shell and BP as the world’s biggest climate polluters within the next few decades. At a time when the planet must dramatically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, these global animal protein giants are driving consumption by ramping up production and exports. GRAIN and IATP examined the world’s largest 35 companies and found that most are not reporting their GHG emissions data and few have set targets that could reduce their overall emissions."
"as a result of expected changes in population and income levels, the environmental effects of the food system could increase by 50–90% in the absence of technological changes and dedicated mitigation measures, reaching levels that are beyond the planetary boundaries that define a safe operating space for humanity. We analyse several options for reducing the environmental effects of the food system, including dietary changes towards healthier, more plant-based diets, improvements in technologies and management, and reductions in food loss and waste. We find that no single measure is enough to keep these effects within all planetary boundaries simultaneously, and that a synergistic combination of measures will be needed to sufficiently mitigate the projected increase in environmental pressures"
"this report has deliberately confined itself to a very narrow, albeit important and complex remit: that of grassfed ruminants in grazing systems, and their relationship with climate change ... 300Livestock supply chain emissions contribute about 14.5% of this total [GHG emissions] at 7.1 Gt CO2-eq/yr (1.9 Gt C-eq)), with most of the emissions generated at the agricultural stage. Of this, about 80% is attributable to ruminants. ... could grazing ruminants also help sequester carbon in soils, and if so to what extent might this compensate? As the following numbers show, the answer is ‘not much’. ... While some grasslands are natural, many of the grazing lands used today were formed at great environmental cost from what was originally forest. Grazing livestock have historically been the main agent of anthropogenic deforestation and associated CO2 release. ... the livestock systems that operate today cause an enormous amount, and many kinds of, environmental damage. To raise the animals we eat and use, we have cleared forests, driven species to extinction, polluted air and waterways, and released vast quantities of GHG emissions into the atmosphere. The rearing of animals has literally transformed the face of this earth."
"we estimate that the world needs to close a 70 percent “food gap” between the crop calories available in 2006 and expected calorie demand in 2050. The food gap stems primarily from population growth and changing diets. ... Western-style diets, which are high in calories, protein, and animal-based foods. ... Overconsumption of protein occurs in all of the world’s regions, and it is rising ..., animal based foods are typically more resource-intensive and environmentally impactful to produce than plant-based foods (Figure ES-2). Production of animal-based foods accounted for more than three-quarters of global agricultural land use and around two-thirds of agriculture’s production-related greenhouse gas emissions in 2009, while only contributing 37 percent of total protein consumed by people in that year. ... Beef is one of the least efficient foods to produce when considered from a “feed input to food output” perspective. When accounting for all feeds, including both crops and forages, by one estimate only 1 percent of gross cattle feed calories and 4 percent of ingested protein are converted to human-edible calories and protein, respectively. In comparison, by this estimate, poultry convert 11 percent of feed calories and 20 percent of feed protein into human edible calories and protein."
"the Tap Water Database also reveals nationwide detection of other drinking water contaminants at levels that are legal but scientists and medical experts say are not fully protective of public health. For example: ... In 2015, more than 1,800 water systems serving 7 million Americans in 48 states detected nitrates - chemicals from animal waste or agricultural fertilizers - at an average above the level the National Cancer Institute research shows increases the risk of cancer, which is a concentration just half of the government's legal limit for nitrate in drinking water"
"The most consistent association was between fish consumption and PCBs and HCB, followed by dairy products and PCBs. A few studies observed a relationship between meat and some POPs, whilst intake of vegetables, fruits and cereals was rarely related to POP levels. "
"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. ... a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty, and the worst impacts of climate change."
"Benefits and cost are distributed rather unevenly ... Demand for meat ... is projected to double between 2000 and 2050. ... the livestock revolution has been fed by inexpensive, often subsidixed grains, cheap fuel, and rapid technological change. ... Livestock occupy over one-fourth of the terrestrial surface of the planet, on pasture and grazing land, of which a significant part is degraded. Expansion of pasture occurs in Latin America at the expense of forests. Concentrate feed demand occupies about one-third of total arable land. ... [Livestock production is] associated with pollution, habitat destruction, and greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock are also an important contributor to water pollution"
"Here we demonstrate that nitrogen-deficient areas of the tropical and subtropical oceans are acutely vulnerable to nitrogen pollution. Despite naturally high nutrient concentrations and productivity6,7,8, nitrogen-rich agricultural runoff fuels large (54–577 km2) phytoplankton blooms in the Gulf of California. Runoff exerts a strong and consistent influence on biological processes, in 80% of cases stimulating blooms within days of fertilization and irrigation of agricultural fields. We project that by the year 2050, 27–59% of all nitrogen fertilizer will be applied in developing regions located upstream of nitrogen-deficient marine ecosystems. Our findings highlight the present and future vulnerability of these ecosystems to agricultural runoff."
"Nitrate contamination of drinking water may increase cancer risk ... For all cancers, there was no association with increasing nitrate in drinking water, nor were there clear and consistent associations for non-Hodgkin lymphoma; leukemia; melanoma; or cancers of the colon, breast, lung, pancreas, or kidney. There were positive associations for bladder cancer [relative risks (RRs) across nitrate quartiles = 1, 1.69, 1.10, and 2.83] and ovarian cancer (RR = 1, 1.52, 1.81, and 1.84), and inverse associations for uterine cancer (RR = 1, 0.86, 0.86, and 0.55) and rectal cancer (RR = 1, 0.72, 0.95, and 0.47) after adjustment for a variety of cancer risk/protective factors, agents that affect nitrosation (smoking, vitamin C, and vitamin E intake), dietary nitrate, and water source. Similar results were obtained when analyses were restricted to nitrate level in drinking water from 1955 through 1964. The positive association for bladder cancer is consistent with some previous data; the associations for ovarian, uterine, and rectal cancer were unexpected."