Erb, K. H., Lauk, C., Kastner, T., Mayer, A., Theurl, M. C., & Haberl, H. (2016). Exploring the biophysical option space for feeding the world without deforestation. Nature communications, 7.
This study shows that there are many potential scenarios to feed the world adequately by 2050 without causing further deforestation. It highlights clearly the crucial role of diet in stopping global deforestation. Importantly, this study found that a global diet of only plant-based foods was the only diet where for all scenarios it was possible to avoid further deforestation and also feed the world, and a global vegetarian diet made 94% of all scenarios that avoid further deforestation and also feed the world feasible. A global “rich” diet (that of North America in 2000) makes it only 15% feasible.