UK: Switch out meat before milk, climate study finds

A new study by an international team of scientists led by Bangor University has quantified how seemingly simple dietary switches can make a positive contribution to the environment, according to a press release from the university. However, those benefits are much greater for some switches than others, owing to complex ripple effects across interlinked agrifood systems and land uses. For example, a switch to soymilk may mean a reduction in calves available for the beef industry, while less demand for meat and dairy could mean that more land is available for other uses, such as growing trees to further mitigate against greenhouse gas emissions.The study, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, was based on German agricultural systems, but the results are widely applicable across European and temperate zone countries. Conclusions point to a clear role for consumers and policy makers in the fight against climate change. Overall, the study confirms that shifting away from ...