Beef and dairy production accounts for 41% of the biodiversity damage caused by global farmland, according to an international study involving researchers from the Oxford Martin School. Published in Nature Food, the research shows that two-thirds of the world's carbon loss from agriculture and two-thirds of its biodiversity loss occur on just one-third of farmland. Agriculture has caused the loss of an estimated 300 billion tonnes of stored carbon and put around 14% of species at risk of extinction through land conversion.

Much of this damage is concentrated across parts of South America, sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia. Half of all carbon loss comes from just 12% of farmland, suggesting focusing restoration on these areas could benefit both climate and biodiversity. Animal-sourced foods account for most damage while providing a small share of calories. Beef and dairy contribute 29% of total carbon loss and 41% of biodiversity loss, requiring much land per calorie.

International trade shifts impacts globally: 18% of farmland's carbon and biodiversity losses are linked to traded food. Brazil is the largest net exporter of both losses, China the largest net importer. Restoring the 30% of farmland with highest combined losses could sequester about 170 billion tonnes of carbon, preventing around 60% of extinction risk from agricultural land. Professor Paul Behrens noted climate and nature are often the same problem on the same land, offering a huge opportunity for targeted actions.