People eat six times as much chicken than 65 years ago, UN report finds

Chickens in grass — Eating more poultry increases greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. Image: Shutterstock

Average global meat supply rose from 25 kilograms per person in 1961 to 47 kilograms by 2022

The average person today consumes around six times as much chicken and twice as much pork as people did 65 years ago, a new report by the UN has found.

Data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) show that global poultry supply increased from less than 3 kilograms per person in 1961 to 17 kilograms per person in 2022.

Beef supply remained stable at around nine kilograms per person, while pork supply doubled between 1961 and 2022 to 15 kilograms per person.

Such increases pose a significant threat to the environment, as agriculture is the world’s second-largest source of greenhouse emissions. Animal agriculture accounts for around 12 to 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and drives biodiversity loss.

Cows in a field — The world’s largest beef producers include the United States, Brazil, and the European Union. Image: Shutterstock

In the next decade, projections suggest emissions from the sector will rise by 7.6 per cent – with livestock thought to account for around 80 per cent of that increase.

Switching from meat-heavy diets to plant-based diets is one of the most effective ways of reducing these greenhouse gas emissions. One study, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, found that switching from a Mediterranean to a vegan diet results in 46 per cent less CO2, 33 per cent less land, and 7 per cent less water. In addition, it lowers other pollutants linked to global warming.

Despite these benefits, the FAO fell short of recommending a reduction in meat consumption in its latest report – drawing criticism from some experts.

‘This report documents the problem clearly but stops well short of that conclusion,’ said senior scientist at the Stockholm Environment Institute, Cleo Verkuijl.

To reduce meat consumption, other scientists – not involved in the UN report – have looked at incorporating lab-grown meat into diets. Already, the lab-grown meat industry comprises more than 175 companies on six continents, backed by approximately $3.1 billion in investments.

A major appeal of lab-grown meat is its significantly lower environmental footprint compared to traditional meat production. Compared with conventional beef, lab-grown beef requires 45 per cent less energy, 99 per cent less land and produces 96 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions.