Switching red meat for mushrooms on occasion ‘could halve deforestation by 2050’ study claims

Researchers say ‘microbial protein can help meat-lovers embrace the change’

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Substituting mushroom-based alternatives for red meat for one-in-five meals could slash deforestation by half in less than 30 years, a new study claims.

It is well-established that the production of red meat contributes to deforestation, land degradation and biodiversity loss. Now scientists are aruging that occasionally swapping it out for mushroom protein has the potential to “massively benefit” animal welfare - as well as save water and reduce the pressure on land.

According to a group of German reserachers, if meat-eaters were to make the switch 20 per cent of the time, it could have a major impact in reducing the magnitude of damage caused by greenhouse gases on the environment.

Dr Florian Humpenöder, researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), said: “The food system is at the root of a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, with ruminant meat production being the single largest source.

“The substitution of ruminant meat with microbial protein in the future could considerably reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of the food system.

“The good news is that people do not need to be afraid they can eat only greens in the future.

“They can continue eating burgers and the like, it’s just that those burger patties will be produced in a different way.

“We found that if we substituted 20 per cent of ruminant meat per capita by 2050, annual deforestation and CO2 emissions from land-use change would be halved compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

“The reduced numbers of cattle do not only reduce the pressure on land but also reduce methane emissions from the rumen of cattle and nitrous oxide emissions from fertilising feed or manure management.

“So replacing minced red meat with microbial protein would be a great start to reduce the detrimental impacts of present-day beef production.”

Farming animals is responsible for 14.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and the production of red meat accounts for 41 per cent of those emissions, according to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization.

And emissions from global beef production alone are roughly equal to those of India, according to the World Resources Institute.

Dr Alexander Popp, leader of the land use management group at PIL, said: “Alternatives to animal proteins, including substitutes for dairy products, can massively benefit animal welfare, save water and avert pressure from carbon-rich and biodiverse ecosystems.”

“A large-scale transformation towards biotech food requires a large-scale decarbonisation of electricity generation so that the climate protection potential can be fully developed.

“Yet if we do this properly, microbial protein can help meat-lovers embrace the change. It can really make a difference.”