U Sudhakar Reddy The fact that large numbers of the Indian population are vegetarians has reduced India's impact on climate change.
The meat industry and livestock sector contribute 18 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Indians consume only 1/11th of the meat eaten by an average Chinese and 1/25th of that eaten by an American.
China consumes the most meat at 71.8 million tonnes per year, followed by Europe at 54.2, and the United States at 36.3. India's total meat consumption is 5.6 million tonnes annually. "Despite growing meat consumption in the country, India's aggregate meat consumption is a mere fraction of both the other countries. If we transit to less meat or even a complete switchover to plant based protein food, it will have a dramatic impact on land use," says Mr Girish Sant, environmental expert with Prayas.
Livestock emit the greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide in the process of digesting their food. The additional principal conservator of forests (environment cell) Ms C.S.Ramalakshmi says, "Livestock farming is the key reason for the climate change.
India being a low meat consuming country is thus good for us. Recently we, along with local organisations have conducted a walk to promote vegetarianism in Hyderabad."
The vegetarian movement has to be taken up on large scale, she says.
The meat industry and livestock sector contribute 18 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Indians consume only 1/11th of the meat eaten by an average Chinese and 1/25th of that eaten by an American.
China consumes the most meat at 71.8 million tonnes per year, followed by Europe at 54.2, and the United States at 36.3. India's total meat consumption is 5.6 million tonnes annually. "Despite growing meat consumption in the country, India's aggregate meat consumption is a mere fraction of both the other countries. If we transit to less meat or even a complete switchover to plant based protein food, it will have a dramatic impact on land use," says Mr Girish Sant, environmental expert with Prayas.
Livestock emit the greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide in the process of digesting their food. The additional principal conservator of forests (environment cell) Ms C.S.Ramalakshmi says, "Livestock farming is the key reason for the climate change.
India being a low meat consuming country is thus good for us. Recently we, along with local organisations have conducted a walk to promote vegetarianism in Hyderabad."
The vegetarian movement has to be taken up on large scale, she says.
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