Animal agriculture and climate change

Abstract

Meat production is a major contributor to climate change, and reducing meat consumption is seen as a way to mitigate this impact. However, there is a tradeoff between the carbon footprint of different meats and the number of animals killed to produce them. Substituting beef with chicken or fish, as many environmentalists suggest, could lead to an increase in the number of animals suffering in factory farms. A focus on reducing all animal product consumption and promoting plant-based alternatives would simultaneously reduce emissions, local pollution, and animal suffering. – AI-generated abstract.