Livestock And Climate Change
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The environmental impact of the lifecycle and supply chain of animals raised for food has been vastly underestimated, and in fact accounts for at least half of all human-caused greenhouse gases (GHGs), according to Robert Goodland and Jeff Anhang, co-authors of “Livestock and Climate Change”.
Goodland’s and Anhang’s article begins:
Whenever the causes of climate change are discussed, fossil fuels top the list.Oil, natural gas, and especially coal are indeed major sources of human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). But we believe that the life cycle and supply chain of domesticated animals raised for food have been vastly underestimated as a source of GHGs, and in fact account for at least half of all human-caused GHGs. If this argument is right, it implies that replacing livestock products with better alternatives would be the best strategy for reversing climate change. In fact, this approach would have far more rapid effects on GHG emissions and their atmospheric concentrations—and thus on the rate the climate is warming—than actions to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.
via Change.org and Vegan.com
Totally agree. Livestock is a major contributor to climate change, (or rising levels of methane, one of the most optent GHG’s)it has been addressd to a degree however. Countries such as New Zealand will be taxed for their GHG emissions, from livestock, although they may be able to offset this somewhat with tthe credits that will be gained from the mass areas of forestry. Waht most people do not realise os that methane is many times more potent than CO2, and stays in the atmosphere for longer also.
Cheers,
Snapa
.-= Snapa´s last blog ..Efficient Energy Management =-.