In Thailand, Eating Plants Could Prevent 100,000 Deaths from the Burning Season

Replacing half of meat and seafood production with plant proteins could save 100,000 lives lost from air pollution in Thailand, a new study has found.

Thailand’s annual crop-burning season causes air pollution lethal enough to prematurely kill 34,000 people every year but the solution lies in another agricultural element: plants.

Specifically, plant-based proteins. Agricultural burning is the biggest source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the country, which is one of the main air pollutants. During the December-April season, PM2.5 levels are three times higher than the national acceptable standard.

The problem is maize, which accounts for a majority of the crops burned – and nearly all of this (99.83%) is reserved for animal feed. This, in turn, contributes to Thailand’s thriving meat and seafood industry.

If this sector grows as projected, the number of premature deaths associated with burning residues of maize could reach 361,000 (between 2020 and 2050), according to new analysis from non-profit Madre Brava and sustainable development consultancy Asia Research Engagement (ARE).

Instead, a 50% switch from meat and seafood to plant-based proteins could reverse this trend, preventing 101,000 deaths in this period. This number takes in previous research by the two organisations, which found that such a shift would lower animal production by 28% by 2050.

That study further revealed that doing so would create 1.3 million jobs and $37B in economic value, lower national emissions by 79%, and spare up to 2.17 million hectares of farmland.

The link between meat, the burning season, and pollution

The study is based on the planetary boundaries framework, which identifies nine processes critical to the environment’s ability to regulate itself and life on Earth. In 2009, we had crossed three of these boundaries. By 2023, that number jumped to six.

One of these processes concerns aerosols – tiny liquid or solid particles suspended in the air, such as PM2.5. These are small enough to penetrate deep into the respiratory system and enter the bloodstream, causing serious health problems, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, asthma, reduced lung function, and premature death.

Wanarak Saiphankaew, a former lecturer at the Faculty of Science at Chiang Mai University, knows all about this. She has lost both her parents to respiratory diseases, as well as a colleague from the university. None of them were smokers, and the biology expert is convinced that air pollution was conducive to their deaths.

“I have been having problems with my respiratory system, and it is getting worse. I don’t know how much time I will have left in my life,” she said, adding that she is now considering moving away from the northern Thai city. “So I decided to leave my job to do what I want to do.”

Sureerat Treemanka, vice-president of the Chiang Mai Breath Council, said: “People in the north of Thailand bear the brunt of maize burning. Our region has the highest rates of lung cancer in the country and higher premature deaths from air pollution than other regions.”

Animal agriculture dominates PM2.5 production emanating from the food system – this is because livestock production accounts for 80% of farmland and 42% of all human-caused ammonia (a PM2.5 precursor).

“The meat and seafood industry feeds the entire country, including some export markets. The long-term solution should not be an indiscriminate penalty for farmers who burn crops, but should include supporting the shift away from monoculture of maize for animal feed and to more sustainable crops,” said Treemanka.

The Thai government must lead by example with protein diversification

Madre Brava and ARE propose protein diversification as a “long-term, systemic solution” that can address the root cause of PM2.5 by reducing the demand for animal feed – and meat.

The groups encourage Thai policymakers to build on the Department of Industrial Promotion’s Reshape the Future scheme, which supports small- and medium-sized plant-based businesses with tech and innovation access.

One way to get consumers excited about more plants is by introducing financial incentives that vegan alternatives cheaper and more accessible. Lawmakers must support farmers transitioning into crop production for plant-based proteins via education, financial assistance, and capacity-building initiatives.

Another step is to lead by example: serving meat-free meals at public events and increasing these options at government institutions (including schools and hospitals) can help generate demand.

“The air pollution that chokes Thailand during the burning season places an unacceptable burden on the health and lives of Thai people. That’s why the government has introduced measures to reduce it,” said Wich Piromsan, Thailand director for Madre Brava.

“But the role played by animal agriculture is largely overlooked. Cutting burning from animal feed production could save hundreds of thousands of lives and help many more lead healthier lives.”

The report also recommends retailers and foodservice players to increase their plant-based offerings. Equally important is the role of Thai meat and seafood producers, which must incorporate protein diversification into their climate plans, and invest in R&D to enhance alternative protein products for both domestic and international markets.

“The quality of the air you breathe should not be dictated by your zip code,” said Piromsan. “With a national shift in protein production, it wouldn’t be.”