If we could give up land currently in use for meat and dairy production was returned to its native ecosystems, it would have the ability to remove approximately the same amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) as was produced by burning fossil fuels over the last 16 years.

In a new study published in Nature Sustainability, researchers say that shifting global consumption away from animal products to a more plant-based diet would free up large areas of land. If native vegetation regrowth was encouraged, these areas could add to the fight against climate change by absorbing CO2 in the atmosphere.

“Restoring native forests could buy some much-needed time for countries to transition their energy grids to renewable, fossil-free infrastructure,” said Matthew Hayek, an assistant professor at New York University and the principal author of the new study.

In the study, the researchers saw three possible scenarios for 2050: business-as-usual, where meat consumption remains on its current course of increase; a healthier diet with 70 percent meat reduction; and a vegan diet.

If meat consumption follows current economic trends, the business-as-usual diet would see the further clearing of ecosystems to make more land space for animal agriculture.

“We only mapped areas where seeds could disperse naturally, growing and multiplying into dense, biodiverse forests and other ecosystems that work to remove CO2 for us,” said Hayek. “Our results revealed over 7 million square kilometers where forests would be wet enough to regrow and thrive naturally, collectively an area the size of Russia.”

Whereas the healthier, reduced-meat diet could remove 332 gigatonnes of CO2  – equal to the amount of CO2 produced over the last nine years by burning fossil fuels. The vegan diet would remove 16 years’ worth of CO2 emissions from the atmosphere, a total of 547 gigatonnes. A gigatonne is equal to 1,000,000,000,000 kilograms.

Although turning vegan might be good for the planet, entirely giving up on eating meat doesn't really make you healthier. Although Vegans and vegetarians are ‘lower risk of heart disease’ they stand an increased susceptibility for stroke.