Figures released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes (IPCC-2008)⁽¹⁾, a department of the United Nations, showed that livestock produces more greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere than the transport sector. The direct emissions from meat production accounted for 18% of total world emissions, compared to only 13% of the transport area. The significant 18% totalized all stages of the production cycle: opening pastures in the forest, making and transporting fertilizer, burning fossil fuels in farms, physical emissions from livestock, as well as intermediate actions. In this set of operations, the main villain is the clearing of forests, which is increasing worldwide with the growing demand for meat. The numbers today are no different from that earlier study. Some vary according to the focus, and continue worrying in the same way. Although the matter is extremely serious and deserves constant discussion, it falls by the wayside when the media and its permanent members have other interests that suit them, and only a new and serious fact will call the attention and intensify the media agenda. 

UN scientist suggests moderation 

One of the UN main climate scientists, Rajendra Pachauri, has even suggested at the time that people "should consider eating less meat as a way of fighting global warming," relating this measure as an option to support the reversal of weather disturbances that could motivate people to change their habits.

According to the Ministry of Environment of Brazil, in the first decade of this century 78% of deforestation in the Amazon was caused by livestock, through legal and illegal bringing down for pasture. Brazil is the world's largest beef producer.

Environmental activists lack arguments when it comes to discussing the negative burden that livestock has called on the issue of global warming and consequent climate changes. The alarming results on the physical conditions of the planet have united the speeches of entities and bodies defenders of life in protest against the sectors that degrade the nature in an unthinking way, aiming solely economic factors. 

Restraint and moderation    

Under the ecological point of view, there are strong reasons to launch a warning against the greed of the meat production sectors. According to information of the medical doctor, writer and environmentalist, Marcio Bontempo, the breeding of cattle causes the forest to be transformed into pasture and about 80% of the global deforestation is linked to livestock. The indiscriminate devastation ends up by having a big impact on biodiversity. Marcio mentions other issues, such as erosion, desertification of the soil, water consumption throughout the production process, the emission of methane by cattle and so on, as factors that disintegrate the system. According to the environmentalist, increasing the production of plant and decreasing meat production would be beneficial for the entire ecosystem.

Defenders of the animal rights have denounced the cruel methods of rearing and slaughtering of animals for human consumption. Medicine and research institutions have issued restrictive guidelines and suggested moderation in the consumption of meat, concluding that its frequent and prolonged ingestion carries the risk of cancer and coronary heart disease. There are studies supporting this opinion and strong evidence of the direct link of periodic pandemics (bird flu, swine, "mad cow") caused by the general methods of meat production in the world. 

Mudança: a palavra de ordem  

Diante desse quadro em que cientistas, pesquisadores e ambientalistas, falando em nome de instituições de reputação internacional, divulgam estudos sobre a situação climática do planeta, sobre a saúde pública, sobre o tratamento dado aos animais, parece evidente que a humanidade terá de modificar seus velhos hábitos e costumes.  

Depois dos abusos e excessos cometidos pelo homem, principalmente no último século, chegamos à exaustão, ao cansaço, e vivemos a pressão dos limites. Não é à toa que este processo veio acompanhado da dor, da escassez, da iminência do perigo, temas que o Espiritismo explica muito bem ao analisar a lei de ação e reação.

Os conceitos de necessário e supérfluo, segundo a natureza, tão bem explicitados n’O Livro dos Espíritos, de Allan Kardec, precisarão ser conhecidos por toda a humanidade, por serem conceitos de interesse global e não apenas de um segmento filosófico ou religioso. 

Change: the watchword   

This situation in which scientists, researchers and environmentalists, speaking on behalf of institutions of international reputation, disclose studies on climate condition of the planet on public health, on the treatment of animals, it is clear that humanity will have to modify their old habits and customs.

After the abuses and excesses committed by man, especially in the last century, we have reached exhaustion, are tired, and live pressure limits. No wonder that this process was accompanied by pain, by lack, and by imminent danger, topics that Spiritism explains very when it analyzes the law of action and reaction.

The concepts of the necessary and the unnecessary, according to nature, so clearly explained in The Book of Spirits by Allan Kardec, need to be known by mankind, because they are concepts of global interest and not just a philosophical or religious segment. 

The watchword for the coming decades will be change and, apparently, compulsory. And it will not help to expect this transformation through measures of governments, alone. It should come, more consistently, from people, individuals, through behavioral change. This is what we are demanding, now, regarding the scarcity of water problems, mainly in the state of São Paulo.

To be aware you must first be informed. Any small change in daily habits can make a difference globally.

The issues involved are controversial and have nothing simple implications, and if the scientific and medical authorities even suggest people to cut eating meat, to use less water, to avoid any waste, it is because the warning light was set.

This is all about our "home", and mainly about the healthy continuation of our life on this wonderful planet called Earth.

⁽¹⁾ Access BBCBrasil.com BBC's Reporter ‘eat less meat’.

References: 

Portalverde.wordpress.com/tag/biodiversidade (Carta aos ecologistas - Marcio Bontempo).

Kardec, Allan. The Book of Spirits, third book (Law of Conservation, LAKE, translation by J. Herculano Pires.