August M
Rising demand for meat is transforming the planet at a pace that Stanford experts say is increasingly unsustainable. With global consumption of beef, pork, poultry and other livestock expected to exceed 500 million tonnes by 2050 — twice the levels seen in 2000 — researchers are mapping how the industry drives emissions, land use and ecological decline, while identifying solutions that could meaningfully slow warming.
Their latest findings, compiled in a published Stanford resource, offer a concise look at how livestock systems contribute to the climate crisis and what changes could produce the biggest environmental gains.
Emissions and land pressure
According to Stanford’s article, livestock production currently accounts for 14–18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, including 32% of the world’s methane — a potent warming gas.
The sector also dominates agricultural land: more than two-thirds of all farmland is used to grow feed for animals, while only 8% directly grows food for humans.
Researchers note that beef and other ruminant meats produce the largest climate footprint, with ruminants responsible for around 80% of livestock methane despite making up a relatively small share of diets.
Opportunities for climate gains
Modeling from Stanford suggests that restoring native ecosystems on land now used for grazing or feed crops could sequester up to 800 gigatons of CO₂ over several decades.
This recovery — combined with lower methane and nitrous oxide emissions from shrinking herds — could effectively halt growth in global warming potential for roughly 30 years and deliver emissions reductions equal to 68% of today’s global CO₂ output.
Even modest dietary changes can help. A 2023 analysis cited by Stanford found that swapping high-carbon meats such as beef for chicken or plant-based proteins could reduce an average American’s dietary carbon footprint by up to 38%. That’s an incredibly big difference when you consider how easy that change would be.
You wouldn’t need to give up meat if you don’t want to — you could simply choose chicken or a plant-based protein, and your carbon footprint would already be lower
Biodiversity at risk
Stanford’s Natural Capital Project warns that meat production is one of the world’s leading drivers of biodiversity loss, primarily due to habitat conversion.
Large swaths of forest, savanna and grassland have been cleared for pasture or feed crops, disrupting ecosystem services and pushing species toward extinction.
In regions such as the Amazon and East Africa, expanding beef production has been a major force behind deforestation. Researchers say protecting intact landscapes and reducing demand for new grazing land are crucial to preserving wildlife while maintaining food output.
What the research aims to provide
Stanford’s new resource brings together the university’s latest scholarship to help the public understand the science behind one of the largest contributors to agricultural emissions.
It’s important as a consumer to understand the impact of the choices you put in your shopping basket
Sources: Stanford University
