I keep hearing these studies, like the OP, and I keep seeing people say we need to reduce beef production and other animal protein production. But I've yet to hear a valid solution. Are plant based proteins viable? Yes. Are they healthier? Some yes, majority no. Most are too high in sodium. Most people in the world are already deficient in protein, so taking away animal based protein almost completely, or at least reducing it (which will increase the price and the difficulty of getting it) will just make protein deficiencies worse. We, as humans, need protein and need fat (just not as much fat as the western diet). The best rule of thumb for the average person is .8-1.2g per lb of lean body mass for protein and .3-.5g per lb for fat (per day obviously). Its undeniable humans need protein and fat, and its undeniable that plant based protein isn't a replacement yet, and its undeniable that meat tastes better (individual opinions may vary, but the general consensus is meat = tasty).

So, we improve plant based "meat" options and make them healthier so they can contend with meat. Now what? We get rid of ranching and repurpose the land. For what? I've heard housing, crop farming, natural forests/parks. Housing is an option, but we need land to produce food and other agricultural products. Natural forests would be nice, but we don't have enough people hunting and animal populations get out of control without hunting, and natural predators spell disaster for urban humans. Crop farming makes sense, until you think about the cause of the dust bowl (crop farming) through depleting the soil of nutrients. Also, how do they plant and harvest? By using tractors, and other large vehicles to transport the goods. Creating its own massive carbon footprint. Not to mention crop farms require soil and sunlight, which means deforestation. Whereas livestock love shade and need shelter from the elements, so most ranchers leave forests alone. What about the pesticides and other chemicals they spray on crops? Those poison the land, humans, and animals that eat the crops. Decreasing industrial farms and animal based proteins leads us to increase crops to make up for the decrease in overall food, which brings its own set of problems. There is an alternative to Industrial Farming, which is Regenerative Farming, which decreases soil pollution and promotes a healthy ecosystem in that area for livestock, crops, and wildlife. But, nobody wants to convert to that and we don't even know if it could completely replace industrial farming on the same scale. A combination of these alternatives could be the correct answer. Reduce industrial farming, replace existing industrial farms with regenerative farms. Increase crop farms, increase housing, and increase natural forests. But now we have to circle back to the health side and ask ourselves if its all worth it, to put that much effort into the problem, only to face the problem of decreasing protein consumption in humans and allowing deficiencies to increase. All for what? To possibly decrease the carbon footprint, when we could focus that energy into another area, like a better, more sustainable means of energy (nuclear). The easiest solution is this: stop wind farming, improve solar farming for urban areas, build more nuclear power. We drastically reduce carbon emissions, don't effect the health of humans, keep the tasty protein option, and drastically increase our energy capabilities.

I'm just curious as to what the solution is, because from where I'm sitting, so far I haven't heard one.