Humans must drastically alter food production to prevent the most catastrophic effects of global warming, according to a new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Climate Change and Land
While fossil fuel burning for energy generation and transport garners the most attention, activities relating to land management, including agriculture and forestry, produce almost a quarter of heat-trapping gases. The report highlights the need to preserve and restore forests, which soak up carbon from the air, and peat lands, which release carbon if dug up.
Increasing risks associated with desertification, land degradation and food security due to climate change are discussed. The report also states that balanced diets featuring plant-based, and sustainably-produced animal-sourced, food “present major opportunities for adaptation and mitigation while generating significant co-benefits in terms of human health”.