One-third of agricultural land accounts for two-thirds of global impact, study reveals

A third of the world's agricultural land generates two-thirds of the sector's impact on climate and biodiversity, according to a new study from Leiden University. Researchers mapped where agricultural activities cause the most damage globally, finding that this impact is highly concentrated.

Regions such as Mexico, Central America, parts of Brazil, West Africa, India, China and Southeast Asia are main hotspots. These areas are either highly intensive in agriculture or located in ecosystems rich in carbon and biodiversity, like tropical forests. Conversion of these regions into farmland results in the simultaneous loss of both carbon storage and biodiversity.

Cattle farming, particularly beef and milk production, contributes the most to environmental damage. Beef and milk account for 41% of the biodiversity loss and 29% of the natural carbon storage loss caused by food production. This disproportionate impact is due to the large land requirements for cattle, both for grazing and feeding.

The study marks the first to simultaneously map both climate and biodiversity losses at a global scale, with detailed resolution and linked to specific food products. Targeted measures in these concentrated areas, such as improved agricultural practices, protection of vulnerable regions, and changes in food consumption patterns, could yield substantial benefits.