Consuming meat: a ticking time bomb?

Posted on 8 June 2016

A soon-to-be published report conducted by Plate for the Planet, released on World Meat Free Day on 13 June, reveals surprising new statistics about our attitudes to meat and how our consumption will change in the next decade.

Issues surrounding food security and sustainability, climate change, health and the challenges of feeding a growing global population will be discussed by a panel of experts at the York Festival of Ideas on 10 June.

Current forecasts suggest if a global population of 11 billion continues to consume meat at the current rate, we will run out of land and water supplies by 2050.

The new report shows, over the next decade and beyond, a significant proportion of the population will actively moderatetheir meat consumption, with some consumers even calling for a meat tax. But experts say it doesn’t need to be that hard – all that is needed is a “less and better” approach to meat.

Leading food security and sustainability experts will discuss these findings at a dedicated Future of Food Focus Day in York. Speakers include: Tim Benton, the UK Champion for Global Food Security; Bee Wilson, British food writer, journalist and historian; James Murphy, author of the We Will Live as We Will Eat report on behalf of World Meat Free Day, Myles Bremner, Consultant for the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation and Isabelle Kelly, Nutrition Behaviour Change Researcher at Leeds Beckett University and Quorn.

Joan Concannon, Director of the Festival of Ideas, said: “This Focus Day will explore how we can sustainably feed a growing global population, and the challenges and responsibilities we face in doing so.

“The N8 Agrifood Partnership between eight universities – a groundbreaking international food research programme - represents the urgency in ensuring sustainable, resilient and healthy food supplies for all. The health and food security experts joining us for the Focus Day will explore how we can all contribute to this goal.”

Further information:

Plate for the Planet is a group of organisations that raises awareness of the issues relating to meat consumption, to benefit the planet. For more information, visit: www.platefortheplanet.com
The Plate for Planet report, We Will Live As We Eat, is published on World Meat Free Day on Monday 13 June
To book free tickets for the event visit: http://yorkfestivalofideas.com/2016/focus-days/food/
To view the full programme for the 2016 York Festival of Ideas, visit: http://yorkfestivalofideas.com/2016/