Governments can – and should – encourage people to cut down on meat

“How about restaurants in 10 to 15 years start treating carnivores the same way that smokers are treated?” asked former UN official Christiana Figueres in a conference at the end of last year.

“If they want to eat meat, they can do it outside the restaurant,” she said.

If you find such measures a little draconian, you’re not alone. Some people find vegans annoying and feel defensive about eating meat – something they’ve done for their whole lives.

“The annoying ingredient seems to be the imagined criticism that the practice implies to those not practising it,” wrote Jared Piazza, a lecturer in social psychology at Lancaster University, in a piece for The Conversation.

“It requires a big change socially as well as with regard to dietary tastes. Without proper incentives, many are quick to convince themselves it is foolish or not worth it.”

However, the science says that if we want to save the planet, we have no choice – and if we’re not going to cut down voluntarily, it makes sense for governments to intervene.

That’s because the carbon footprint of livestock products is between 10 to 100 times greater than plant-based foods. If we want to avoid catastrophic levels of climate change, our levels of meat consumption cannot go on.

Now, more than 60 scientists and counting have signed an open letter to mayors all over the world asking them to reduce the amount of meat available in public places such as schools and hospitals.

Professor Pete Smith from the University of Aberdeen, lead author of a recent report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), organised the letter. He said: “The IPCC report shows that between 21 per cent and 37 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to the food system, with direct emissions from livestock contributing 14.5 per cent of all human greenhouse gas emissions.

“Reducing demand for livestock products, by eating less meat and dairy and reducing food loss and waste, will be critical for addressing the climate change emergency.”

Last month, top British barrister Michael Mansfield QC said eating meat could be made illegal due to the ecological damage it does.

“I think when we look at the damage eating meat is doing to the planet, it is not preposterous to think that one day it will become illegal,” he said at the Labour Party conference.

Developed countries consume double the global average of red and processed meat and experts believe raising prices would encourage people to eat healthier and less harmful foods.

In Germany, the Social Democrat party and the Greens are arguing that meat should be taxed at 19 per cent, with additional revenues spent on animal welfare.

The agricultural spokesperson from Angela Merkel’s CDU party welcomed the suggestion, describing it as a “constructive proposal”.

Gradually, the culture around meat-eating is changing and even food giants such as Greggs say their customers are demanding vegan alternatives to their pastries.

If meat-reduction policies are implemented, more and more of us will have to jump on the vegan wagon – whether we want to or not. That can only be a good thing.