Plant-Based Diets Would Cut Humanity’s Land Use by 73%

An overlooked answer to the climate and environmental crisis

Rainforest being cleared for cattle farming — Image credit: Planet Labs

When we think about environmental impacts of food, discussions often center around carbon footprints or water usage. But one of the most staggering impacts of agriculture is its massive appetite for land.

Excessive land use is a hugely underestimated problem. Addressing this single issue has the potential to alleviate or even resolve many of the biggest environmental challenges we are currently facing.

Not all types of food production require the same amount of land. Animal agriculture, in particular, is the world’s largest user of land by a wide margin. Since animal products aren’t required for good health, we can make better use of this land. Read on!

A vital opportunity

A shift to plant-based diets would not only save hundreds of billions in healthcare costs each year and spare trillions of animals from suffering and exploitation, but also transform the face of the Earth — in a very good way.

As shown in the diagram below, provided by Our World in Data, a plant-based food system would free up three-quarters of the land currently used for agriculture.

This is astonishing, considering that agriculture is by far the biggest source of human land use, taking up an area around four times the size of the United States. That’s a staggering 45 times more land than all other human activities — including cities, settlements, and infrastructure — combined. Thus:

Cutting agricultural land use to a quarter of its current level would effectively reduce humanity’s overall land footprint to roughly a quarter as well. Calculating from the numbers above, a plant-based food system would shrink humanity’s total land use by 73%.

It almost seems too good to be true that, amid today’s immense ecological challenges, we still have such a significant opportunity for meaningful action. But this isn’t wishful thinking — it’s exactly what science tells us. All we have to do is seize this vital opportunity.

What’s so ‘vital’ about it?

1) Preserving Biodiversity

Clearing forests, wetlands, and grasslands for livestock displaces native species, making animal agriculture a leading driver of biodiversity loss worldwide. Reclaiming this land allows for ecosystem restoration, protecting biodiversity and reversing habitat destruction. Studies show that a plant-based food system could prevent the extinction of over 150,000 species.

2) Combating Climate Change

Livestock farming is a major greenhouse gas emitter, from methane released by animals to the energy-intensive processes of feed crop production. Transitioning to plant-based systems would dramatically reduce emissions, while freed land could support reforestation, critical for sequestering carbon and curbing global warming.

3) Preventing Soil Degradation

Clearing land for pastures and overexploiting it to grow livestock feed depletes the soil, leading to erosion and desertification. Transitioning land to more sustainable uses can restore soil health and fertility.

4) Improving Food Security

Animal agriculture is the most inefficient form of land use. The industry consumes 80% of farmland but provides only 18% of global calories.

Redirecting land to grow food for humans instead of livestock could feed billions, giving us a realistic shot at ending hunger and malnutrition worldwide. It’s crucial that we use this opportunity, especially in the face of a growing world population.

5) Protecting Indigenous Lands

Many cattle farms are established illegally within protected indigenous lands. By phasing out animal agriculture, we could halt these exploitative practices and ensure that these lands are preserved for their rightful stewards.

6) Creating Space for Renewables

Some of the freed land could be repurposed for renewable energy projects such as solar and wind farms, supporting the transition to a sustainable energy future. Experts estimate that 38 million hectares of land would be needed to produce enough solar energy to power the world — that’s just 1% of the land that would be freed by transitioning to a plant-based food system.

7) Halting Deforestation

Due to its enormous appetite for land, animal agriculture is the single largest driver of deforestation globally, responsible for 80% of deforestation in the Amazon alone. In contrast, research shows that plant-based diets could sustain even a growing world population with zero deforestation.

(A) forest loss, (B) fires, (C) agricultural and cattle areas in the Amazon region — Source: Covey et al. 2021, "Carbon and Beyond: The Biogeochemistry of Climate in a Rapidly Changing Amazon"

Livestock farmers often deliberately burn down rainforest to gain new land. Over 1,000 environmental activists trying to oppose this senseless destruction of the Amazon have already been murdered. As long as the demand for animal products remains high, rapid deforestation will continue.

Conclusion

Shifting to a plant-based food system is not just an opportunity — it’s a necessity for a sustainable future. By reducing global land use to just 27% of today’s level, we can restore ecosystems, protect biodiversity, fight climate change, improve food security, and create ample space for reforestation and sustainable energy projects.

The significance of this issue cannot be overstated. However, up until now, it has received far too little attention. If we truly commit to it, reducing land use gives us a realistic chance to overcome our biggest global challenges and create the sustainable future we are hoping for. Collectively, our food choices will play a decisive role in shaping the world of tomorrow.

Besides cutting land consumption, plant-based diets also contribute to cleaner water and air, protect animal welfare, lower pandemic risk, reduce antibiotic resistance, improve overall public health, save billions in taxpayer money, and preserve our oceans.

With every meal, we cast a vote for the food system we want to support — our decision should be crystal clear.

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This issue has been overlooked for too long. Share this article to help others understand why addressing it is vital for our future.

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