An appeal to the world’s most developed countries to curb their excessive appetite for meat is expected to include the first comprehensive plan for the global agri-food industry’s compliance with the Paris climate agreement.

The global food systems roadmap is expected to be published by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization during the COP28 summit next month.

Nations that over-consume meat should limit consumption, while developing countries – where under-consumption of meat is an additional nutritional challenge – should improve their animal husbandry, according to the Agency.

In a path that starts from the farm to our table, food production is estimated to be responsible for about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, and much of that footprint is linked to livestock farming – a major source of methane, deforestation and loss of biodiversity.

Although it will not be binding, the UN Agency’s plan is expected to inform policy and investment decisions and give impetus to the food industry’s transition to a climate-sustainable model, as it is estimated to be lagging behind in this sector.

This map on meat consumption is intended to send a clear message to governments. But politicians in wealthier nations typically shy away from policies aimed at changing consumer behavior, especially when it comes to reducing consumption of everyday goods.

“Livestock farming is a politically sensitive sector, but we need to address sensitive issues to solve the problem,” said Dhanush Dinesh, founder of Clim-Eat, which works to accelerate climate action in food systems.

“If we don’t deal with the livestock problem, we’re not going to deal with climate change. The main problem is overconsumption.”

According to UN data, the average American consumes about 127 kg of meat per year, while Nigeria consumes 7 kg and the Democratic Republic of Congo just 3 kg.

It should be noted that the Eat-Lancet Commission recommends that people consume no more than 15.7 kg of meat per year.

The Rome-based UN agency tasked with improving the agricultural sector and nutrition is trying to strike a balance between climate transition and ensuring food security for a growing global population. So, in addition to calling for less meat consumption for the world’s well-fed, the plan will also encourage farmers in developing countries to boost their livestock productivity and source more sustainably.

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