Food companies in the UK are required to limit their meat production to prevent a disastrous loss of biodiversity.
In a groundbreaking report, the UK's Food Foundation has emphasised the critical role of food production and diets in driving biodiversity loss and the urgent need for food companies to transition towards plant-based diets to combat climate change and reduce the risk of species extinction.
Acting swiftly to protect nature and biodiversity could generate an astounding $10 trillion in economic value and nearly 400 million jobs globally by the end of the decade. This transition is not just about environmental benefits, as shifting to plant-rich diets is among the most viable and effective ways to transform the food system, with net benefits estimated at $4.5-10 billion annually.
The report highlights the significant contribution of agriculture to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. Land use change associated with livestock farming has accounted for 30% of global biodiversity loss. The current system of subsidies reinforces harmful production and consumption practices, causing $4-6 trillion in climate damages every year.
The UK's independent National Food Strategy recommended a 30% reduction in meat consumption by 2032, while the Climate Change Committee called for a 25% decrease by 2040 and 35% by 2050. The Food Foundation urges policymakers and businesses to take action to boost the uptake of plant-rich diets in the UK, with a focus on whole-food sources like beans.
The report states that food production and diets, particularly those high in animal-source foods, play a critical role in driving biodiversity loss. Consumption of red or ruminant meats like beef and lamb in the UK is directly linked to increased extinction risks for numerous species, and shifting to plant-based diets could reduce the projected number of extinctions by 58% over the next 100 years.
Beans and grains are, on average, the strongest-performing foods on sustainability, nutrition, and price fronts. Companies like Beyond Meat (USA), Oatly (Sweden), and Alpro (Belgium) have committed to plant-based diets, with successes including reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower land use, contributing positively to biodiversity preservation.
The Food Foundation calls on businesses and investors to support climate- and nature-friendly solutions, such as shifting to portfolios promoting plant-rich diets and investing in more sustainable farming practices. Global wildlife populations have shrunk by 73% over the past 50 years, primarily due to human activity.
Baroness (Joan) Walmsley stresses the importance of government action on transitioning towards plant-forward diets for a healthy population and a thriving economy. The report warns that the UK government's failure to address biodiversity loss in the agrifood industry will lead to greater economic costs in the 2030s, exceeding the impacts of the 2008 financial crash or Covid-19.
Only 5% of companies assess nature-related impacts, and less than 1% understand their dependency on nature. The Food Foundation found that 65% of agricultural expansion in recent decades is linked to increased animal-based food production. The report suggests that rethinking food consumption and production has the potential to mitigate harm to nature and the environment, and could unlock significant benefits for public health and the economy.
