World Bank Urges Wealthy Nations to Cut Livestock Farming Support to Tackle Climate Change

Wealthy nations are urged to decrease financial backing for livestock farming to address pollution linked to consuming red meat and dairy, according to the World Bank.

Shifting subsidies from livestock to lower-emissions foods like poultry, fruits, and vegetables would help curb consumer demand for emissions-intensive products. A major report by the World Bank emphasizes the need for pricing environmental and health costs into emissions-intensive foods to reduce their climate impact.

Livestock farming contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, but the sector has been slow to commit to financial targets and actions compared to other industries. Annual investments of $260 billion will be necessary to halve agri-food emissions by 2030 and achieve a net-zero target by 2050.

Governments, businesses, and citizens can promote low-emission food options through education campaigns, nudging techniques, and food labeling. Pricing animal-source foods to reflect their full costs would make low-emission options more competitive, while meat products would become 20% to 60% more expensive.

A significant portion of agricultural subsidies currently supports emission-intensive animal products. The World Bank's comprehensive report provides recommendations for addressing food's climate footprint, emphasizing the urgent need for action to mitigate climate change through changes in the food system.