From the Editor's Desk

Could meat taxes help to curb over-consumption of beef?

From the ancient feasts of kings to the modern-day fast-food frenzy, meat has long been a global dietary centerpiece. As a critical source of protein and nutrients, meat (particularly beef) is a necessary staple of diets worldwide. Yet, how it and other ruminant meats such as mutton and goat are produced and consumed, particularly in relation to the looming environmental crises, begs humanity to reevaluate the actual costs of our carnivorous traditions.

While recent decades have witnessed a surge in vegetarianism and plant-based alternatives, some scholars argue that we need more substantial incentives, including meat taxes on consumers, to tackle overconsumption in the West. Research indicates that the uptake of plant-based diets would significantly lower emissions, particularly from the reduction of tropical deforestation (as most of the world’s beef is produced in Brazil, and Amazonian regions are being actively deforested to make room for more grazing land). The vegetarianization of the global diet is projected to have apparent knock-on effects, writes Erick Stokstad, such as the reduced cost of grain and soybeans—essential food staples in some developing countries—since there will be less need for cattle feed. As Daniel J. A. Johansson and Fredrik Hedenus explain, a changed diet would also reduce land prices in high-producing countries, making land more available for ecosystem recovery and sustainable urban development. But should meat taxes even be on the menu?

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