Zero Norway will not stop meat production

Environmental foundation Zero has been criticized by ABC Nighter's Thomas Verms for its meat policy. But unlike him and what Other media reports As can be given the impression, Zero Norway will not stop meat production. However, we want it to be consistent with meat consumption New Dietary GuidelinesIt says we should eat a maximum of 350 grams of red meat a week.

It is not the more serious of the two Directorate of Health And Norwegian Environment Agency Recommend the same.

Vermes writes that Zero believes that Norwegian farmers should cut off the supply so that we eat less meat. This is wrong. To reduce meat consumption we must first change consumer habits. It is needed. Every Norwegian Eats about the same amount of meat on average Now as we have done for the past 20 years.

To reduce meat consumption, we suggest several things i Zero Report 2024:

Ban shops selling red meat at a loss. Alcohol already has such a ban. This prevents meat products from being used as bait, where prices are dumped in campaigns to attract customers.

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Introduce a graduated VAT or tax on red meat, while reducing the same amount of VAT or tax on fruit and vegetables. The latter is important to ensure that everyone can afford healthy and nutritious food. Both the Directorate of Health and the World Health Organization have recommended such a healthy tax exchange.

Introduce a labeling scheme that makes it easier for consumers to make healthy and sustainable choices.

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Close the Egg and Meat Information Office, which promotes food that does not comply with dietary guidelines.

Become plant-based

To prepare Norwegian agriculture for the future and a zero-emission society, farmers should receive support to change their operation from meat and dairy production to plant-based production through an agricultural contract. Because plant-based foods are always better for the climate than red meat. Regardless of how the meat is produced.

To reach Storting's goal of 50 percent self-sufficiency, there is also room to increase poultry and fish production — both of which have lower greenhouse gas emissions than red meat. At the same time, this operation requires improvements in animal welfare, local environmental impact and feed composition.

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Changing habits takes time. We don't think it's impossible to have the entire population eating within the existing dietary guidelines by 2030, but changing the current diet is absolutely necessary to solve our environmental and climate problems. This applies to Norway and even more globally.

It recommends ending the zero duty scheme or reducing quotas for meat.

Cattle make up 62 percent of all mammals

Meat and milk production are calculated 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissionsBut there are other major sustainability challenges as well.

Wild animals are formed today Only 4 percent of total biomass Of the mammals on Earth, cattle make up 62 percent. Meat production and animal feed production occupy large areas, reinforcing the current environmental crisis. Deforestation leads to greenhouse gas emissions.

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If the world food system were plant-based, agriculture would require less land than it does today. There are areas that can return to nature, increase biodiversity and CO2₂ – Absorption in forests, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gases, According to the UN Climate Panel.

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Measures are needed to reduce imports

Vermes points to a significant challenge in meat imports. It would certainly be unfortunate if Norwegian meat production were replaced by imports without a reduction in consumption. Both consumption, import and production of meat should decrease from current levels.

Zero recommends ending the tax-free program or reducing meat quotas so that fewer Norwegians buy meat abroad. More people choose Norwegian meat when shopping, but as Verms points out, that doesn't stop traders from importing meat.

To remedy this, the Norwegian Environment Agency proposes to strengthen customs protection for beef and pork, for example by switching to a percentage tax.

Zero proposes setting requirements in public procurement to reduce red meat purchases for public restaurants, schools and institutions. Strict environmental and climate requirements actually contribute to the fact that meat purchased by the public sector comes from Norwegian producers.

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Overall, these measures will help reduce meat imports as meat consumption decreases.

More to go on import cuts

Nevertheless, Vermes describes how much meat Norway has to import. Statistics from Directorate of Agriculture It shows that the amount of meat imported varies greatly from year to year.

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In 2023, demand for meat was lower than expected due to rising prices. This resulted in a lower demand for imports, as Norway produced enough to meet most of the demand. From 2022 to 2023, imports of cattle, pigs, poultry and sheep/lambs are down 46 per cent – ​​from 22,900 tonnes to 12,300 tonnes.

Zero is not in favor of import bans on commercial actors or anything else that conflicts with concluded trade agreements. If global food production changes in the future, it may be appropriate to review some of Norway's agreements where meat imports are specifically addressed. When imports of the four largest meat categories drop from one year to 10,600 tonnes the next, it shows that we have a lot to do within the current framework.

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How much we import is closely related to how much meat we eat. If less meat is eaten, imports will decrease, especially if measures to reduce meat consumption are combined with measures to reduce imports.

Norway still needs farmers involved in sustainable meat and dairy production, with good animal welfare, a large element of forage and grass grazing produced in Norway. Agricultural policy is about development and protection of cultural landscapes across the country. But it is undeniable that a lower consumption of red meat is better for the climate in Norway and globally.

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