According to the NASA, the carbon dioxide is recorded highest of last 650,000 years resulting into abrupt global temperature rise (1.8 ^oF per since 1880) depleting ice sheets of Himalayas and raising the sea level ultimately challenging diverse ecosystem. The world is at worst nightmare in terms of environmental depletion and unforeseen consequences of global challenge- Climate Change.

According to FAO, the climate induced disasters like flash floods, forest fire, erratic rainfall, drought, pest outbreaks, storms, etc have increased by two folds in the last century with the loss of USD 250 billion to USD 300 billion every year globally. FAO also reported that in between 2005 to 2016 the average of 260 natural disasters occurred annually in the developing countries taking away the lives of 54,000 people. These statistics show the urgency of action against the changing climate of Earth. The diet pattern we follow is among the many factors responsible for change in climate, which is neglected and overshadowed.

We eat different diet derived from plant and animal sources to be healthy and function well in our daily activities. Do we ever realize how our preference of meat and other animal products to vegetables is slowly heating Earth accelerating the climate change? According to Climatic Change Journal published by Dietary green house emissions of meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans in UK, meat eaters are responsible for twice as many dietary green house gas emissions per day as vegetarians. In addition, FAO suggests that the livestock contributes tentative production of 18% green house gases which is higher than a global transportation could possibly produce. The animal agriculture is responsible for 65%, 37% and 9% of anthropogenic nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide emissions respectively (FAO). The increase in meat consumption increases the animal agriculture that increases the fodder demand. It leads to deforestation declining the carbon dioxide sink- Forest. As a result the ozone layer is depleted that is welcoming more harmful sun rays to Earth which is the major reason for increase in global temperature.

John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future quotes ?If global trends in meat and dairy intake continue, global mean temperature rise will more than likely exceed 2? C, even with dramatic emissions reductions across non‐agricultural sectors.? The slight increase in temperature will melt the polar ice caps, sink the islands, decline the food production and extinct the biodiversity and ultimately threaten every life in the Earth.  

In mitigating and adapting to the changing climate, the shift in dietary preference has a prominent role to play. Environmental Working group (2011) states potato, rice and broccoli produced approximately 3-5 times lower emissions than an equivalent mass of poultry. So, we need to eat for the sake our need rather than taste. The report of University of Edinburgh states that the emissions from producing meat is more than growing crops as large amount of cereals are grown to feed livestock. The animal agriculture is as well resource inefficient that may challenge to feed the 9 billion hungry mouths by 2050.

Thus, the small shift in our daily diet pattern can have ripple effect to fight the crusade against the climate change and food insecurity. It?s high time we implemented the quote of Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland ?We have to change; we cannot go on with business as usual. We need each of us to think about our carbon footprint. Eat less meat or no meat at all. Become vegetarian or vegan.?