Agricultural land use is the primary driver of wild habitat loss, affecting trillions of wild animals. Diet shifts that reduce agricultural land use have the largest potential welfare impact of any individual action.
Agriculture occupies approximately 50% of habitable land globally; wild habitat has been reduced commensurately. Animal agriculture uses 83% of agricultural land while providing only 18% of global caloric supply. Plant-based diets use significantly less land per unit of protein or calorie than animal-based diets. Land sparing — producing more food on less land — versus land sharing — integrating agriculture with biodiversity — remains debated. Rewilding former agricultural land provides habitat for recovering wild animal populations. Dietary change that reduces land use has cascading benefits for wild animal populations through habitat preservation.