A strategy to reduce meat consumption

CONSUMPTION of meat is neither necessary for health nor is it desirable, especially if one is concerned about protecting the environment. However, vegetarianism is a personal preference.

The book under review carries the message to policymakers, academics and citizens to take steps to reduce meat production and consumption to sustainable levels, especially when we consider the data that global meat and milk consumption will roughly double in the first half of the 21st century. This means that the number of farm animals to be slaughtered for consumption each year would reach 120 billion from the current 60 billion. What is more worrying is that saturated fats present in meat contribute to the growing global epidemics of diseases like obesity, type II diabetes and heart disease.

This book has been compiled on the basis of papers, some of which are interesting and relevant to poor developing countries where people need to learn to live on their farm produce rather than on meat because it has been accepted that livestock production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

(Earthscan Ltd, Dunstan House, 14a St. Cross Street, London EC 1N 8XA, UK:earthinfo@earthscan.co.uk.)
-MG