Why Going Vegan Is the Easiest, Most Effective Way to Combat Climate Change

A recent report from the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change points out that minor, reactive, and incremental changes aren’t enough to curb climate change. It warns that unless we take significant action, we’ll suffer from more heatwaves, droughts, and floods, and it concludes that real changes are needed in order to “avoid mounting loss of life, biodiversity and infrastructure.”

Going vegan is the easiest and most effective way to combat the climate catastrophe and prevent further loss of life for both humans and other animals.

The climate is changing at an alarming rate. We must take immediate action to save the planet, and eliminating animal agriculture should be our primary goal. Amid the global response to the IPCC report, it is called a “dire reminder” to stop raising animals for food and go vegan, and 50×40 highlights five takeaways—all involving food production and consumption.

How Animal Agriculture Is Causing the Climate Catastrophe

By some estimates, raising cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, and other animals for food and/or clothing is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all of the world’s transportation systems combined. Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are powerful greenhouse gasses that cause the vast majority of climate change. Animal agriculture is one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide and the single largest source of both methane and nitrous oxide.

And yet, animal agriculture is often overlooked in conversations and initiatives related to the climate crisis, even though the harmful impacts of intensive animal farming are well known.

If you’re serious about saving the planet – and its inhabitants – the most important thing you can do is stop eating meat and other animal-derived foods.

U.S. scientists recently announced that “phasing out animal agriculture” is the “best and most immediate” way to reverse the trajectory of climate change. They found that ending meat and dairy production and transitioning to a vegan food system over the next 15 years would have the same effect as a 68% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions through 2100. Essentially, if the world were to go vegan, it would cancel out the emissions forecast from other sources, including energy and transportation, for 30 to 50 years.

A global shift to vegan eating would also reduce air and water pollution, conserve resources, prevent world hunger, promote healthy living, and reduce animal suffering. Researchers believe that if everyone went vegan, it could save up to 8 million human lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds, and avoid climate-related damages of U.S.$1.5 trillion.

A kinder, greener, healthier, and less disaster-prone future? Count us in! If you want that, too, order a free vegan starter kit today!