Skip to Content

Meat and Climate Change

2015-02 MEAT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Whereas 1: global populations are rising and tastes are shifting toward meat-heavy diets; and

Whereas 2: raising more meat makes it necessary to bring more land into cultivation resulting in more deforestation and increased fertilizer use; and

Whereas 3: increased methane emissions from livestock combined with the increased deforestation and fertilizer use will likely cause greenhouse gas emissions from food production to increase by almost 80% by 2050; and

Whereas 4: reducing meat consumption, particularly beef, in favour of plant-based eating would help reduce environmental damage; therefore be it

Resolved 1: that the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) adopt as policy that Canadians be encouraged to eat less meat, particularly beef, as a means of reducing climate change; and be it further

Resolved 2: that the NCWC urge the Government of Canada to encourage Canadians to eat less meat, particularly beef, by educating people on the beneficial effects of reducing meat consumption and of increasing the use of sustainable agriculture practices, i.e., less deforestation, fertilizer use and methane production and thereby reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

PLAIN LANGUAGE FORMAT

Policy Statement

The National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) adopts as policy that Canadians be encouraged to eat less meat, particularly beef, as a means of reducing climate change.

Request of Government

NCWC urges the Government of Canada to encourage Canadians to eat less meat, particularly beef, by educating people on the beneficial effects of reducing meat consumption and of increasing the use of sustainable agriculture practices, i.e., less deforestation, fertilizer use and methane production and thereby reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Rationale

Global populations are rising and tastes are shifting toward meat-heavy diets. Raising more meat makes it necessary to bring more land into cultivation resulting in more deforestation and increased fertilizer use.

Increased methane emissions from livestock combined with the increased deforestation and fertilizer use will likely cause greenhouse gas emissions from food production to increase by almost 80% by 2050. Reducing meat consumption, particularly beef, in favour of plant-based eating would help reduce environmental damage.