In my opinion, eating less meat is due to a culture's history and connection to nature. As someone who comes from a South Asian culture, respecting nature and animals is deeply embedded within the history of my people's existence, in our religion, and our holidays/rituals. Since I also live in the U.S., I see that rich societies tend to be farther from reality. Everything is available at our fingertips, so we do not have to bother knowing where our food comes from. This makes us more likely to eat meat without having many feelings attached. Of course, this way of thinking can change with some awareness and learning to reconnect to our roots and nature!
The agricultural industry contributes to a copious amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. This is largely due to unsustainable farming practices and focusing on efficiency and maximizing profits rather than ethics and the environment. This is slowly changing with top-down regulations, grassroots campaigns, and more knowledgeable consumers. We simply need the change to come faster if we would like the chance to save our home.