A recent report presented by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) suggested that the unsustainable levels of meat and dairy product consumption must be reduced in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

This is in part due to an expected 70% increase in food demands by 2050 due to a population growth to more than 9 billion people, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In addition, the FAO has cautioned of the environmental degradation resulting from livestock industries both in developed and developing countries.

However, some have raised concerns about another human impact of such a change, saying that meat production currently provides livelihoods to an estimated 1.3 billion people.

In a July 7 teleconference with Supreme Master Television staff in Los Angeles, California, USA, Supreme Master Ching Hai explained the actual consequence of engaging in any activity yielding profit from animal products.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Everyone who opens a meat or fish or animal product restaurant or even a shop, they do not know how much harm they’re doing to themselves. That’s why they’re doing it. No matter how successful they are, they will have to pay dearly, dearly in the near future or in the next lifetime. And it even affects their children and their parents, many generations to come as well.

Whoever partakes in this so-called success that comes from this kind of meat restaurant or meat industry, or animal industry, they will have to pay so dearly. This is terrible to even think about.

Our Association member (F): How much merit is lost working in a butcher shop or a slaughterhouse? And what is the consequence after this life for such unfortunate souls who work in those jobs?

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Either they’d have to suffer a lot like the way the animals suffer in this lifetime, or they have to go to hell even. Or they have to even degrade their birth into some lower level of existence in order to repay this debt in untold sufferings. I would advise everybody, please just stay away from this kind of job, because it’s not worthy at all.

VOICE: Our gratefulness goes to Supreme Master Ching Hai for highlighting this largely unacknowledged ancient truth, especially as evidence abounds today of the widely negative physical consequences of meat production.

May we all engage in occupations that cause no harm to other beings, to ensure peaceful lives for ourselves and loved ones. For more life-changing insights on jobs and spiritual merits, please tune in to Supreme Master Television for the full broadcast of this teleconference at a later date, with multi-language subtitles.

http://current.com/news/92467701_un-urges-global-move-to-meat-and-dairy-free-diet-lesser-consumption-
of-animal-products-is-necessary-to-save-the-world-from-the-worst-impacts-of-climate-change-un-report-
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http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/16/eco.food.miles/
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html