Researchers Formally Challenge Distortion of Data in UN Report as Downplaying Impact of Meat Reduction
Researchers Paul Behrens from Leiden University and Matthew Hayek from New York University have formally challenged the validity of a recent report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) regarding the reduction of meat consumption and its effect on lowering emissions. In a detailed letter, they urged the FAO to retract the publication, citing significant discrepancies in data interpretation and methodology. The disputed report, part of a sequence presented at the COP28 climate summit, titled “Pathways Towards Lower Emissions,” misuses data from a 2017 study co-authored by Behrens. The FAO’s analysis focused on strategies to reduce emissions from the livestock sector, primarily through improved animal management, reduced food waste, enhanced breeding practices, and improved feed quality. The report downplayed reducing meat consumption, suggesting that …