Animal-Based Foods Provide 15% of Calories but Cause the Majority of Biodiversity Damage From Farmland

Animal agriculture drives 71% of biodiversity damage from food production on farmland.

By: Emily Payne

Outlets: Sentient

Published: August 26, 2026

Words: 1,099

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 1 day ago

Body Text Preview

Animal agriculture has an outsized impact on global carbon and biodiversity loss, according to a new study in Nature Food. Animal-sourced foods provide less than 15% of humanity’s calories but are responsible for 71% of biodiversity losses and 59% of carbon losses on agricultural land used to produce food worldwide. The study excluded fish, focusing on land-based foods.

The findings point to opportunities to address two global crises at once. By mapping carbon and biodiversity …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us