People eat six times more chicken than 65 years ago, UN report finds

The average person today consumes about six times more chicken and twice as much pork as people did 65 years ago, according to a new United Nations report, which found that global meat supply has quadrupled over the past 60 years and is expected to continue rising.

Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows that global poultry supply increased from less than 3 kilograms per person in 1961 to 17 kilograms per person in 2022, reports The Guardian.

Pork supply doubled over the same period to 15 kilograms per person, while beef consumption, one of the most emissions-intensive foods, remained relatively stable at around 9 kilograms per person.

The report found that average global meat supply rose from 25 kilograms per person in 1961 to 47 kilograms in 2022. It also estimated that around 14% of meat and milk products are either lost during production or wasted after reaching supermarkets and restaurants.

According to the FAO, agriculture is the world's second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from the sector are projected to rise by 7.6% over the next decade, with livestock expected to account for around 80% of that increase.

The report highlighted stark inequalities in access to animal-source foods. In low- and middle-income countries, where food insecurity remains widespread, meat, milk and other animal products are significantly more expensive relative to household incomes than in wealthier nations.

"The regional distribution and access is still very unequal," said Daniela Battaglia, a co-author of the report. "While high-income countries still have quite high and stable consumption, low-income countries are still constrained by the affordability of animal products."

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has previously identified a shift from meat-heavy diets to more plant-based diets as one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food systems.

While the FAO report cited research showing that wealthy countries are driving excessive consumption of animal products, it stopped short of recommending reductions in meat consumption.

That omission drew criticism from some experts.

"This report documents the problem clearly but stops well short of that conclusion," said Cleo Verkuijl, a senior scientist at the Stockholm Environment Institute.

The FAO has faced criticism in the past from researchers who argued that some of its reports underplayed the climate benefits of reducing meat consumption or failed to adequately address scientific concerns.

The latest report was commissioned to assess the contribution of livestock to food security, nutrition, healthy diets and sustainable food systems. The FAO said a follow-up report later this year will focus more extensively on environmental sustainability.

Matthew Hayek, a researcher at New York University, said the report largely avoids addressing the environmental implications of high meat consumption in wealthier countries.

"Their framing obscures the vast literature and strong evidence base showing that high levels of meat consumption have negative environmental impacts and are linked to a range of adverse health outcomes," he said.

Scientists estimate that animal agriculture accounts for between 12% and 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is a major driver of biodiversity loss. The world has already warmed by approximately 1.4 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial levels due to fossil fuel use and environmental degradation.

Defending the report, Battaglia said the FAO's work is evidence-based and focused on helping policymakers reduce the negative impacts of livestock production, such as greenhouse gas emissions and antimicrobial resistance, rather than reducing livestock numbers themselves.

"We have the technologies, we have the innovation, we have the knowledge to significantly reduce emissions," she said. "Animal-source foods are still important as a source of nutrients. The challenge is to reduce the negative impacts while maximising the positive ones."