[Consumer Climate Action Column] We Are the Arsonists of Amazon

Im Sarang, Chairman of Mujin iCOOP Consumer Cooperative

On December 10, 2020, the Government of the Republic of Korea declared the ‘2050 Carbon Neutrality Vision.’

‘Carbon neutrality’ refers to reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by the use of fossil fuels and other sources, and offsetting or removing the inevitably emitted greenhouse gases through forests, wetlands, and other means, so that the net emissions become ‘0.’

Accordingly, changes are occurring in various fields, with the transition to a ‘plastic-free’ society being a representative example.

The Honam Reporting Headquarters of Asia Economy is running a series of ‘Consumer Climate Action Columns’ to empathize with and participate in the plastic-free movement.

Every year, we face wildfires, floods, droughts, and other natural disasters occurring around the world. The Amazon rainforest, known as the lungs of the Earth, has been continuously damaged by wildfires even after the largest fire in 2019, and deforestation has reached its highest level in 15 years.

During the process of clearing land through wildfires and deforestation, fires ignite on trees dried out by prolonged droughts, causing uncontrollable wildfires to spread.

These massive wildfires, once understood as natural disasters, are now known to be caused more by human activity than natural ignition. The Amazon, which is said to produce more than 20% of the Earth's oxygen, is now emitting enormous amounts of carbon as its trees burn.

According to an international joint research team, the carbon emitted by the Amazon due to deforestation and other causes from 2010 to 2019 is more than 20 times the amount of carbon dioxide emitted annually by South Korea, one of the world’s top 10 economies.

So, what is being cultivated in the Amazon despite such extensive deforestation?

Primarily, land is cleared to create pastures for livestock or fields for growing corn and soybeans. These two industries support meat consumption and factory farming.

Corn and soybeans are the easiest and cheapest raw materials for making animal feed, so farmers set fires in the forests, and corporations encourage and assist this. Ultimately, our meat consumption is setting the Amazon on fire.

This situation is not unique to the Amazon. Around the world, similar methods are used to burn various species, destroy forests, and expand livestock farming.

The livestock sector affects not only climate change but also all aspects of the environment, including air, soil, water quality, and biodiversity.

In particular, industrialized factory farming, which confines animals in crowded spaces, accelerates climate change through greenhouse gas emissions and raises various issues such as animal welfare.

So, do we really have to eat meat?

It is often said that humans eat meat to obtain protein. However, even with a vegetarian diet, plant-based proteins found in alternative meats like soy meat and other foods do not cause significant nutritional problems.

Most nutrients can be replaced with a vegetarian diet. Moreover, research shows that vegetarianism can help improve lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

Thus, vegetarianism is both a practice to slow global warming and a diet beneficial to one’s health.

However, the most important factor is sustainability. It is not easy to completely abandon a habituated meat-eating palate and change one’s lifestyle. Even if not perfect, if we make efforts to choose vegetarian options little by little in daily life and if more meat alternatives become available, it could lead to a sustainable ‘vegetarian-oriented’ lifestyle.

Encouragingly, products for vegetarianism are increasing. From bakeries made solely with plant-based ingredients to vegan ramen and wine, various food categories are launching vegetarian products. The iCOOP Consumer Cooperative is also planning to release soy meat this year.

Perfect vegetarianism may be difficult, but if such foods that help consumers easily practice vegetarianism become more diverse, it is expected that our dining tables can become opportunities to practice consumer climate action.