Ethics and environment
Does veganism help the climate?
Short answer
Yes, especially by cutting beef, lamb and dairy. Animal farming is a large share of greenhouse gases, land use and water per calorie and per gram of protein.
Poore and Nemecek (Science, 2018) show that even beef and dairy from the lowest-impact farms usually have a higher environmental footprint than plant proteins. That does not make shipped avocado footprint-free — it means swapping a steak for lentils outweighs arguing about a straw.
Local vegetables plus fewer animal products is the most stable climate food move an individual can make several times a day.