Anthropocene Magazine: What happens to the world’s farms if everyone eats less meat?

Researchers ran the numbers on a worldwide sustainable-diet transition—and found a food system that looks nothing like today’s. The team modeled what would happen if the world actually switched to sustainable diets, rather than sticking with business as usual. The results are dramatic: cattle production could fall by half by 2050. The amount of land devoted to farming fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes could rise by 1.5 million square kilometers—more than twice the area of France—while the land area used to farm wheat, corn, rice, and other grains might fall by a similar amount. Reduced livestock farming would free up vast stretches of grassland unsuitable for most crops — land that might go to rewilding or wind and solar power. More FINDINGS.