Today, livestock farming is often indicated as one of the main causes of climate change and other global crises. Many environmental activists and especially animal rights activists are calling for an end to meat consumption and the closure of livestock farms. But what would really happen if this were actually done? And what would a world without cows, or more generally, without livestock farming, be like? These are the questions World Without Cows , a documentary film presented in recent days at the European Parliament in Brussels, attempted to answer.

The documentary, made by award-winning journalists Michelle Michael and Brandon Whitworth , was produced by the American organization Planet of Plenty, which promotes collaboration across sectors and geographies to create and adopt science-based solutions that help agriculture provide nourishment for all, revitalize rural communities and replenish the planet's natural resources.

The authors, in an 85-minute journey, explore the hypothesis of a world without cattle, giving space to different perspectives: from those of scientists and farmers to those of economists and environmentalists. The film raises crucial questions: would we really live better without cows? What would we lose? What would change? What unexpected effects could emerge? Through a global-scale narrative and a rigorous approach to data, the documentary invites us to overcome simplifications and prejudices, bringing key issues such as food security, land use, emissions and the circularity of agricultural systems to the center of the debate. To make it, the authors traveled for three years to over 40 places in the world, collecting testimonies and data to investigate the role of cattle in human health, nutrition, climate, culture and economy.

In addition to deepening - and often debunking - many common misconceptions about the global impacts of livestock, one of the film's most important messages is the urgency of dialogue. The documentary shows that bringing farmers, companies and policy makers together to talk openly and honestly is essential. Without this type of communication, it is impossible to find balanced solutions that work for the environment, the economy and those who depend on livestock.

Watch the movie trailer :