Meat and dairy reduction ‘vital’ to climate health – new report warns

A series of pathways have been set out to help the UK’s food and drink industry reduce its 129.5m tonne carbon footprint, with a focus on meat and dairy reduction as a key tool, the UK's Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) recommends in its latest report​.

Attend: Join the plant-based debate at FoodNavigator’s free upcoming Protein Vision digital event​

The report makes a series of recommendations for government and food and drink, to implement in the coming years, including support for farmers towards net-zero emissions, stronger industry engagement, and big investment, to name a few.

However, a recommendation on diet change has resulted in crossed swords from one of the bodies representing UK agriculture and plant-based meat producers.

“Without diet change, the food system will not be able to make its contribution [to carbon reductions] here, and would not meet SBTi FLAG targets,” says the report.

How much meat reduction to save the planet?

A 20% reduction could be achieved with a focus on reducing red meat and dairy production, alongside better food waste controls, it adds.

“Diet change also has important health considerations, which are beyond the scope of the report."

“The food industry should work urgently to develop an approach to diet that balances net zero and health objectives; the absence of a position stands in the way of progress and leaves the industry vulnerable to having policies imposed upon it.”

However, red meat and dairy plays a positive role in diets and “should not be underestimated”, argues the AHDB centre of excellence director, Ken Boyns.

There is a lot of controversy around diet change and eating less meat and dairy, he explains, adding the organisation had fed back on draft versions of the report, with emphasis on the need to provide balance within the debate.

“As a levy board, we have pointed out that the positive role red meat and dairy plays in diets should not be underestimated,” says Boyns.

Meat and dairy are ‘good for health’

“Lean red meat and dairy can form part of a healthy and sustainable diet, and contribute essential micronutrients […] often lacking in people’s diets, particularly in nutritionally vulnerable groups.”

On climate, he argued the levy board had repeatedly pointed out if the ruminant-based global meaty and dairy consumption remained stable, it would not lead to global warming increases, assuming some farm efficiencies were made.

“This is not recognised in the way methane emissions are currently normally accounted for,” he claims. “Some will accept this point, but still want to see consumption fall as they believe fossil fuel use cannot be reduced quickly enough to protect us from climate change without cutting down on livestock production.”

Though the impact of the food system on the planet could not be understated, argues Redefine Meat managing director Simon Owen, who adds the IGD’s report clearly highlights the negative impact of meat and dairy on the environment.

Reducing red meat and dairy production was “a must”, he argues, saying plant-based meat producers like Redefine Meat are a key part in achieving this.

“[Plant-based] Meat plays an important part in helping consumers reduce their consumption of traditional meat, without feeling like they’re missing out on all their favourites,” argues Owen.