WATCH: Moby on the link between climate change and what we eat

The idea that a steady diet of meat and dairy could be destroying the planet, “even if you’re able to present people with rock-solid data,” is not something that most people or even climate activists want to face, said Grammy-winning musician and animal rights activist Moby.

To him, eliminating animal products from the global food-chain is essential for fighting climate change, and yet, he said, it has become the “third rail” of climate politics.

“Almost everybody shies away from talking about it,” Moby said.

About a third of human-driven methane emissions come from livestock, and methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, according to the United Nations.

During the climate conference, the Biden administration announced a plan to crack down on methane emissions, focusing on the oil and gas industries. But the plan will also study how to reduce emissions from agriculture.

Moby talked with the PBS NewsHour last week as the COP26 climate summit came to an end in Glasgow, Scotland, about how he sees the conversation progressing around meat production and climate change.

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