The Meat Industry and How It Affects Biodiversity
Makaleler > Derleme · 2025
Yazarlar: Gülen TURP, Selin Özüesen
Food Bulletin, Diğer Kurumların Hakemli Dergileri, Uluslararası, Index Copernicus, 2025, cilt 4, ss 1-11
Özet
<p>Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in all ecosystems, including diversity within</p><p>species, between species, and among ecosystems. Its loss is one of the most critical</p><p>environmental challenges we face today. The main drivers of biodiversity loss are habitat</p><p>destruction, overuse of resources, pollution and climate change. The meat industry is one</p><p>of the leading sectors that have contributed to these negative impacts on biodiversity</p><p>through land occupation, deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and intensive use of</p><p>resources. In order to effectively address the loss of biodiversity, there is an urgent need</p><p>for integrated solutions that combine policy measures, technological innovations, changes</p><p>in consumer behavior and global cooperation. Sustainable livestock management,</p><p>monitoring carbon footprints using life cycle assessment tools, changing feeding habits,</p><p>implementing sustainable livestock systems, and applying zero deforestation policies are</p><p>promising strategies for reducing damage to biodiversity. However, despite the potential</p><p>of these approaches, their implementation faces limitations such as economic barriers,</p><p>traceability issues, and cultural resistance to changing dietary habits. This paper assesses</p><p>how the meat industry contributes to biodiversity loss through land use, emissions, and</p><p>invasive species, emphasizing the environmental effects of livestock farming, and reviews</p><p>recent policy and technological efforts aimed at mitigation.</p>