New book chapter: Protein from legumes is better for the climate than animal protein, but may lead to a decline in employment

Legumes are one of the least environmentally damaging protein sources there are.

Increasing legume production can also bring positive sustainability benefits for other crops, such as grain, because legumes fix nitrogen in the soil, which reduces the need for fertiliser.

Socio-economic and climate impacts of legume production

In a recently published book chapter in Life Cycle Management from Global to Local NORSUS researchers Rannvá Danielsen and Clara Valente, sammen med kollegene Anna Milford og Simen Wilsher-Lohre ved NIBIO, sett nærmere på de sosioøkonomiske effektene og klimaeffektene av å dyrke mer belgvekster i stedet for animalsk protein til menneskemat.

The chapter, titled "Socio-economic and Climate Impacts of Increased Legume Production for Human Consumption in Norway", is based on a study presented at the International Conference on International Conference on Life Cycle Management (LCM) in 2025.

The study examines what happens to employment and to greenhouse gas emissions if we replace growing and eating animal protein with plant protein in Norway.

The researchers examined three different scenarios:

• Scenario 1: Focuses on maximising employment in the agricultural sector and preserving cultural landscapes
• Scenario 2: Focuses on minimising greenhouse gas emissions
• Scenario 3: Focuses on reducing all types of livestock production equally

Key finding: Good for the climate, but fewer jobs

The findings indicate that a greater shift towards legumes can lead to substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, legumes take less time to produce than animal protein (see illustration below), and as a result, growing more legumes may lead to a decline in employment within the livestock sector. Additionally, the cultural landscape – which arises from grazing animals – would change.

Overall, the study highlights that the relationship between legumes and livestock production involves a trade-off: while reducing emissions supports climate goals, it can come at the cost of fewer job opportunities and the potential loss of cultural landscapes, particularly in rural areas where alternative sources of income are limited.