Apart from emissions from fossil fuels, other ways we contribute to global warming and climate change is through the food we eat. In particular, the way we produce our food. There have been several initiatives proposed and undertaken to manage food production such that it would reduce the greenhouse gases being emitted during the process. But will it be enough?
"Balanced diets featuring plant-based foods, such as coarse grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, and animal-sourced food produced sustainably in low greenhouse gas emission systems, present major opportunities for adaptation to and limiting climate change," Debra Roberts, co-chair of IPCC Working Group II, said in a press release.
But how much difference can such choices really make? A wealth of research supports the idea that adopting a low- or no-meat diet is a significant way to lower an individual's greenhouse gas footprint. The IPCC report cites data showing that livestock production accounts for the greatest portion of ice-free land on Earth's surface, and contributed to over half of anthropogenic nitrous oxide emissions in 2014.
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