“The more land we use for our purposes, the more that biodiversity, recreation, other species are going to be crowded out.” - Barry Gardiner
The Environmental Audit Committee sat on June 7th 2023, in which Barry questioned George Monbiot, author of Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet, on the role that land usage plays in climate change and food security.
How, when globally we are projected to need to feed 2 billion more people, can we allocate our land in a form that serves people and the climate? - asked Barry.
Monbiot stressed the importance of land beyond farming, such as for biodiversity, recreation, living and industrial space etc.
Farming occupies 38% of the land surface of the UK… 26% of that is grazing for livestock… It produces a very small proportion of our food but it has a humongous ecological opportunity cost and carbon opportunity cost” - Monbiot.