This work from the BAMBOO project shows how trade-sensitive conservation policies to protect biodiversity on a global scale are needed. Next year new results will be available from the KOEVOET project where we will evaluate policies to reduce the biodiversity footprint of food consumption in Netherlands.
Over the past decades, global demand for animal products has surged 📈, driven by a growing population and changing diets. Animals emit greenhouse gasses and waste directly, causing environmental issues 🌱, but the challenges don't stop there. To meet growing demand, large areas of agricultural land are required for livestock feed. These lands must be tilled, fertilized, and treated with pesticides, contributing to climate change 🔥, eutrophication, and biodiversity loss 🌿. Additionally, as feed is increasingly traded internationally, the environmental impacts often occur far from where the feed is consumed 🌍. In her thesis, M.Sc. student Olivia Hinz examines the trade-linked effects of livestock feed on biodiversity. Her findings highlight that a significant share of key feed crops is traded globally. For example: ~20% of maize and wheat, and ~85% of soybeans used for feed in Europe, are imported from other continents. This underscores the urgent need for trade-sensitive conservation policies to protect biodiversity on a global scale. 🌎
