A free and viable alternative to the UK's Net Zero policy

If the UK became a CO2 Net Zero energy country, it will cost us many £Trillions and quosh all our industries - this policy is making the UK one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in.

We could insulate our houses better and save approx. 5% of CO2 emissions (much cheaper than buying a BEV). Eating 10% less meat would save 2% and 20% less waste food would also save 2%.

So we could reduce our emissions by at least 15% simply by insulating our houses better (and short payback period), wasting less food and eating less meat (e.g. eat pulses one day a week instead of eating a bit of a cow).

What if all developed world countries did this?

I asked CoPilot...

 Scenario: What if Developed Countries Cut Food Waste & Meat by 10%?

1. Food Waste Reduction (10% less in developed countries)
• Developed countries account for about 40–50% of global food waste.
• Cutting waste by 10% in these regions = ~0.15–0.2 Gt CO₂e avoided annually.
• Bonus: Saves water, land, and energy tied to producing wasted food.

2. Meat Consumption Reduction (10% less in developed countries)
• Developed countries consume disproportionately more meat (esp. beef and dairy).
• Cutting meat intake by 10% in these regions = ~0.3–0.5 Gt CO₂e avoided annually.
• Bonus: Frees up land for reforestation or alternative crops.

Combined Impact
• Total reduction: ~0.5–0.7 Gt CO₂e annually.
• Global share: That’s about 1–1.5% of total global emissions

Equivalent to:
• Taking ~100–150 million cars off the road each year.
• Roughly the same as the entire UK’s annual emissions.

Who Benefits Most
• Developed countries: Lower emissions, healthier diets, reduced healthcare costs.
• Developing countries: Freed-up global land and resources, reduced deforestation pressure, improved food security.
• Global climate: Lower methane (from livestock) and lower nitrous oxide (from fertilizers), both potent greenhouse gases.

Takeaway

A modest 10% cut in food waste and meat consumption in developed countries could deliver a UK-sized emissions reduction every year. It’s not as big as energy transition or reforestation, but it’s a low-cost, high-co-benefit action that improves health, saves money, and reduces climate pressure.

All countries in developed world can easily do this. All we have to do is eat less meat and waste less food.

UK CO₂ emissions

• BEV fleet switch (after battery penalty): ~50–60 Mt annually
• House insulation: ~20–30 Mt CO₂ saved annually.
• 10% less meat: ~8–10 Mt.
• 10% less food waste: ~3.6 Mt.

So we can have a 'tinned pulse day' - a day when we don't eat any fish or meat but instead eat vegetables and pulses. This would encourage us to use up the food in our fridges (less waste) and to open a tin of beans instead of killing a cow.

Maybe Heinz could sponsor some world-wide adverts and sell more tinned beans?

This would benefit the planet, make us healthier and save us money. It's a Win-Win :-)

So, if you want to be green, let's all have a 'pulse day' once a week (even if you do have to open the windows on your expensive BEV afterwards or blame the dog).