Flexitarianism

Having talked about the environmental dangers of meat consumption in my last post, I want to share with you some ideas that I support proposed by Raphaely and Marinova (2013) on meat consumption as a decarbonising strategy. Flexitarianism can be defined as reducing meat consumption from current averages to the recommended healthy levels (without having to give it up completely!). This approach offers an opportunity to effectively reduce environmental impacts as estimates show that a 25% decrease in meat consumption would lead to a 12.5% cut in greenhouse emissions. Not to mention the health benefits that would follow! Everyone knows the most popular decarbonising strategies out there today- renewable energy and sustainable transport, but how much does the public really know about the harm done by meat consumption?

Meat America by Dominic Episcopo

(Source: http://www.thecoolist.com)

In 2007, 275 million tonnes of meat came out of global meat production, a fourfold increase with only 50 years. Although meat consumption is a wasteful conversion of protein and therefore also a wasteful use of agricultural land, it has become an inherent part of the 'wealthy' diet and old habits are hard break. Raphaely and Marinova believe that promoting reducing meat consuption deserves the same public engagement and investment as renewable energy receives at the moment, if not larger. They propose that meat consumption should no longer be a free choice due to its environmental and social dangers. Other 'similar' products like alcohol, petrol and cigarettes already incorporate higher taxes in order to offset their negative externalities, why should we treat meat any different?

It also makes financial sense! Estimates show that in order to fight climate change by stabilising atmospheric gases will cost the global community about 40$ trillion by 2050. But if we could promote flexitarianism and get the public to shift their diets partly away from meat consumption by 2030, we could cut the cost down to 8$ trillion (Raphaely and Marinova, 2013). I agree with the suggestion on meat taxes and I do not see how it should be any different from other unhealthy (for both the environment and people). An interesting thought on a highly controversial topic.

Till next time,

Laura