Nearly 85 percent of U.S. grazing lands cannot be used for crop production. In summer 2003, record-high temperatures in Europe resulted in the deaths of at least 30,000 people.10 Climate change is also increasing the prevalence of allergens, both because of increased air pollution and because higher temperatures and CO2 levels can cause shifts in flowering time and pollen initiation.11 This can trigger respiratory allergies, asthma, and cardiovascular disease. However, grazing animals on this land doubles the area that can be used to grow food. ANIMAL AGRICULTURE is the BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR to CLIMATE CHANGE! The livestock sector generates 37 percent of human-caused methane emissions. Because methane has such a short half-life, drastic emission reductions could help us undo significant amounts of damage. Fortunately, we can all take simple steps to protect our health and our planet. The statistics are not encouraging. Owing to their specialized digestive systems, ruminant animals release methane and nitrous oxide every time they pass gas or feces. Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs). 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture. We all have a responsibility to take action to reduce our carbon footprints, and the best way to do that is by ending our support of animal agriculture and going vegan. Therefore. More than 1 million young people around the world have urged governments to prioritise measures to protect against the ravages of climate breakdown during the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. We have already witnessed this phenomenon during heat waves in Europe, where every year, vulnerable individuals suffer from heat-induced illnesses. Often, this comes from monkeys or bats, who commonly carry vector-borne diseases such as Ebola, which can spread to humans who consume the flesh of a sick animal.15. Climate change Wildlife Energy ... the latest year for which accurate data is available from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, livestock on EU … Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service—in conjunction with five partner Land Grant Institutions—is a part of a 5‐year project to address issues related to climate change and animal agriculture. 5Alejandra Borunda, “Methane, Explained,” National Geographic, 23 Jan. 2019. The need to expand pasture land and land for growing feedcrops has a terrible impact on the world’s forests. The greenhouse gas footprint of animal agriculture rivals that that of every car, truck, bus, ship, airplane, and rocket ship combined, they said. It is responsible for the degradation of the environment and the acceleration of climate change. The calculations used to get the 51% of global GHG emissions are, at times, inaccurate or inappropriate, leading ultimately to a misrepresentation of the impact of animal agriculture. A balanced diet should contain meat and poultry. Various organizations and movements exaggerate some of the facts above to benefit their agendas. The burning of fossil fuels is currently the leading source of … The carbon dioxide equivalent is a standard unit used to account for the global warming potenti… Monkeys Get COVID-19, Too: Demand Answers on Primates Now! Land Use. (Producing 1 kilogram of beef with the largest footprint results in more than 105 kilograms of CO2e.) 9IPCC, “Climate Change and Land: An IPCC Special Report on Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security, and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems,” 2019. In addition, animal agriculture is a major contributor to climate change, which is increasing the prevalence of both infectious and chronic diseases. Stay up to date on the latest vegan trends and get breaking animal rights news delivered straight to your inbox! Climate Change Cattle-rearing generates more global warming greenhouse gases, as measured in CO2 equivalent, than transportation, and smarter production methods, including improved animal diets to reduce enteric fermentation and consequent methane emissions, are urgently needed, according to a new United Nations report released today. One of animal agriculture‘s greatest environmental impacts is its contribution to global warming and climate change. This statistic is true. Nationwide, reductions to agricultural productivity or sudden losses of crops or livestock will likely have ripple effects, including increased food prices and greater food insecurity. Each year, a single cow will belch about 220 pounds of methane. Climate change poses various health risks, including an increase in both chronic and infectious diseases. Like social distancing during a pandemic, going vegan should be viewed not as a personal choice but as part of our collective responsibility to protect our health, the planet, and animals. 15Renee Cho, “How Climate Change Is Exacerbating the Spread of Disease,” Earth Institute, Columbia University, 4 Sep. 2014. As a result, expert groups like the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are warning the public that meat and dairy consumption must be drastically reduced in order to mitigate the disastrous effects of climate change on our planet and our health.9. Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane are the three most destructive GHG emissions in the atmosphere, comprising almost 98 percent of the total. needed to help meet the UK’s current climate change commitments, and beyond that, to stay-ing within the 1.5°C budget. This occurred through manure management and enteric fermentation (a process that describes the digestion of feed by ruminant animals). 12A.J. "Costs and Consequences: The Real Price of Livestock Grazing on America's Public Lands". Warmer temperatures also promote the spread of vector-borne diseases—those carried by animals such as mosquitos, fleas, and ticks, who are generally most active when temperatures are high and are dormant during the winter. to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. Heat and electricity generation, for example, accounts for almost 25 percent of global GHG emissions alone. By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us. While reducing meat consumption (particularly beef) does reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there are other human activities that are more harmful. Animal agriculture is choking the Earth and making us sick. Why is this impressive? Facts and Fiction on Livestock and Climate Change As the November 2015 Global Climate Change Conference COP21 concluded in Paris, 196 countries reached agreement on the reduction of fossil fuel use and emissions in the production and consumption of energy, even to the extent of potentially phasing out fossil fuels out entirely. Dairy is Scary Erin Janus exposes the truth about the dark d airy industry and the cruelty that goes on in five powerful minutes. The role of animal agriculture in climate change. Facts about Animal Agriculture and Climate Change. We know that human activity does contribute to climate change on Earth. An analysis found that the production of 1 kilogram of the beef that has the smallest carbon footprint emits at least 9 kilograms of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). Also, it is responsible for 65 percent of human nitrous oxide emissions globally. Today, the average American farmer is able to feed about, In the United States, the livestock industry raises approximately, USDA claims that raising animals for food (including land used to grow feed crops and grazing land) now covers a, Factory farms often collect the tons of animal urine and feces in cesspools; when they get full, many factory farms will try to avoid water pollution by spraying liquid manure into the air. Increased rainfall promotes the transport and dissemination of pathogens in water sources, and higher temperatures optimize their growth and survival.12 This can result in outbreaks of potentially lethal waterborne diseases like cholera, cryptosporidiosis, campylobacter, and leptospirosis. In order to accommodate the 70 billion animals raised annually for human consumption, a third of the planet’s ice-free land surface, as well as nearly sixteen percent of global freshwater, is devoted to growing livestock. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), the animal agriculture sector is responsible for approximately 18%, or nearly one-fifth, of human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that when each and every one of us changes our behavior, we can save lives—and the same applies to the health risks posed by climate change. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE, — Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind. Projected impact of climate change on yields of corn, wheat, soybeans and cotton by the years 2080-2099. If we want to preserve our planet, we need stronger regulations to reduce future effects of increasing global temperatures. Methane from cattle is shorter lived than carbon dioxide but 28 times more potent in warming the atmosphere, said Mitloehner, a professor and air quality specialist in the Department of Animal Science. Deforestation is one of the leading ways in which the livestock industry contributes to global warming. Copyright 2018 by Green and Growing. Meat, dairy, and egg production are among the leading causes of human-caused climate change, soil erosion, water pollution, and the decrease in biodiversity. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. These are just some of the ways animal agriculture and the resulting climate change can harm human health and exacerbate the risk of pandemics like COVID-19. Agriculture contributes towards climate change through anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and by the conversion of non-agricultural land such as forests into agricultural land. Animal Agriculture is the leading driver of human induced climate change, deforestation, water depletion, habitat loss, species extinction and world hunger. Their stomachs have four chambers, including the rumen, which ferments their food so that nutrients can be extracted. How Does Animal Agriculture Cause Climate Change? In the United States, we rely heavily on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to supply us with GHG data. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. EPA, “Overview of Greenhouse Gases: Nitrous Oxide Emissions,” 28 May 2020. 11Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Climate and Health: Allergens,” 18 June 2019. By 2050, consumption of meat and dairy prod… Of that 1.9 billion acres: 778 million acres of private land are used for livestock grazing (for… One thing is certain: Animal agriculture definitely has a role to play in it. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Animal agriculture is responsible for about 9% of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions globally. In this paper, we present the results of a Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) proving that animal agriculture is the leading cause of climate change, responsible for at least 87% of greenhouse gas emissions annually. And consuming animal-derived foods weakens our immune systems and metabolic health. There might be a silver lining in the near future. Animal Agriculture & Climate Change According to a 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the animal agriculture sector emits 18% of global, human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. The degree to which human activities, including animal agriculture production, contributes to climate change is largely unknown. Greenandgrowing.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Rising temperatures and extreme heat can be dangerous for people who are elderly or immunocompromised and will increase the rate of heat-related illness and death, including from cardiovascular failure. Chu lumped the greenhouse gas emissions from meat and dairy with other agricultural practices, such as fertilizer, and land-use changes, such as deforestation and soil disrupt… This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. The panel of scientists looked at the climate change effects of agriculture, deforestation and other land use, such as harvesting peat and managing grasslands and wetlands. According to studies over the past few years, the growing public and governmental concern is that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are the greatest contributor to the global warming phenomenon. 10Umair Irfan, “113 Degrees in France: Why Europe Is So Vulnerable to Extreme Heat,” Vox, 28 June 2019. A full 50 percent of the world’s livable land – meaning land that is ice-free and fertile – is … Moreover, animal agriculture is a leading source of other greenhouse gases. Frank Mitloehner, an animal scientist from the University of California, Davis has been vocal about his view that meat has been disproportionately linked to climate change … Outside of their ideal temperature range, animals need to conserve or shed heat to maintain productive. However, efforts are underway to identify all major sources of GHGs to determine strategies aimed at reducing these emissions. Climate change is primarily caused by an increase in levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as a result of anthropogenic (human-caused) activities. Animal agriculture is the biggest land user in the UK. In comparison, producing 1 kilogram of tofu contributes between 1 and 3.5 kilograms of CO2e.7 Animal-derived foods, in general, are responsible for between 10 and 50 times the greenhouse-gas emissions that plant-based ones are.8 Regardless of whether you compare the carbon footprint of foods by weight, protein content, or calories, the findings are always the same: Animal-based foods have a much larger footprint than their plant-based equivalents. For this reason, we could take the opportunity of mitigating global warming by regulating the livestock industry. An oft-used comparison that contributes to our flawed perception is that animal agriculture generates more human-caused greenhouse gas emissions (14-18 percent) than transportation (13.5 percent) globally. Nitrous oxide, arising from manure storage and the use of organic/inorganic fertilizers, is a molecule with a global warming potential 265 times higher than carbon dioxide. January 2015 The US lower 48 states represents 1.9 billion acres. | Powered by WordPress. Because the U.S. meat production has increased with almost 50 percent, milk production 16 percent, and egg production almost 33 percent. It proves that the livestock sector has improved feed efficiencies, developed better manure management strategies and efficient use of cropland. This is a serious issue, considering that globally, there are at least 1.4 billion cows, and that both methane and nitrous oxide have a much higher Global Warming Potential than carbon dioxide (CO2), meaning that they capture more heat in the atmosphere.3 Animal agriculture is the single largest source of methane emissions in the U.S.,4 and methane is 80 times more powerful than CO2 at warming the Earth over 20 years.5 Nitrous oxide is even more potent—it is 300 times more warming than CO2.6, As a result, even locally sourced or organic animal-derived foods are more taxing on the environment than vegan foods. Why Animal Agriculture is Not the Leading Cause of Climate Change A healthy portion of animal agriculture’s bad rap comes from the falsehood that livestock is the major source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Water quality is also negatively affected by climate change. 6U.S. For example. Learn Why Offering Vegan Food Is Smart Business. Terms for automated texts/calls from PETA: Rearing Cattle Produces More Greenhouse Gases Than Driving Cars, UN Report Warns, Options for Keeping the Food System Within Environmental Limits, Overview of Greenhouse Gases: Nitrous Oxide Emissions, Less Meat Is Nearly Always Better Than Sustainable Meat, to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint, Banish ‘Eat Local’ From Your Environmental Playbook, Climate Change and Land: An IPCC Special Report on Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security, and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems, 113 Degrees in France: Why Europe Is So Vulnerable to Extreme Heat, Climate Change and Human Health: Risk and Responses, Climate and Health: Climate Effects on Health, How Climate Change Is Exacerbating the Spread of Disease, Tell Chicago Officials to Shut Down Filthy Live-Animal Markets, Time to Scream Bloody Murder: Close Slaughterhouses, Labs Kill Animals Deemed Not ‘Essential’ in Response to COVID-19. According to a 2008 study, a meat-eater’s diet causes more than seven times as much GHG emissions as a vegan’s diet. Overuse of antibiotics in animals causes antibiotic resistance in animals and humans. Both globally and in the U.S., energy production and … -  Designed by Thrive Themes Exposing the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture while questioning the morality our dominion over the animal kingdom. While animal agriculture is a significant contributor to GHG emissions, it is not actually the biggest contributor, as the myth claims. Beyond that, animal agriculture is terrible for human health. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), just 2.8 percent of U.S. GHG emissions came from animal agriculture in 2007. However, this is not meant to minimize the impact animal agriculture has on global warming. Current subscribers: You will continue to receive e-mail unless you explicitly opt out by clicking, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. However, in spite of various studies claiming the contrary, animal agriculture and meat consumption are only small contributors to U.S. GHG production. However, the impact of animal agriculture on GHG emissions has remained almost constant since 1990. By sticking to a diet that consists of animal products, humans are contributing directly to putting our planet in crisis. 1United Nations, “Rearing Cattle Produces More Greenhouse Gases Than Driving Cars, UN Report Warns,” UN News, 29 Nov. 2006. 3Food and Agriculture Organization, “Livestock—Cattle,” 2010. Due to its rela - tively low food output to land use ratio, animal agriculture currently occupies 48% of all UK land. 8Akshat Rathi, “Banish ‘Eat Local’ From Your Environmental Playbook,” Bloomberg Green, 4 Feb. 2020. It is a fact that we can no longer ignore. Also, in the U.S., where people use the “veganism will solve the problem” argument the most, fossil fuels emit more than 10 times more GHG emissions than animal agriculture. Cattle are the No. Industrial animal agriculture is responsible for the suffering and slaughter of trillions of animals each and every year around the globe. Ruminant animals, such as cattle, produce methane, which is roughly 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. However, it is important to keep in mind that transportation is just one of the sources of fossil fuel combustion. Animal husbandry also contributes towards climate change through greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change is primarily caused by an increase in levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as a result of anthropogenic (human-caused) activities. All in all, we need more drastic policies that take a firm stance on minimizing the effect of animal agriculture. The most important greenhouse gases from animal agriculture are methane and nitrous oxide. Methane, mainly produced by enteric fermentation and manure storage, is a gas which has an effect on global warming 28 times higher than carbon dioxide. Animal agriculture puts a heavy strain on many of the Earth’s finite land, water and energy resources. For the Center for Biological Diversity. As periods of warm weather get longer and historically cold regions warm up, the ecology of vectors is changing and their breeding grounds and lifespans are increasing—especially in the case of mosquitos.13 This is causing a rise in vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, encephalitis, hantavirus, Rift Valley fever, Lyme disease, chikungunya, and West Nile virus.14 Experts have also observed that in Africa, climate change–fueled food insecurity is leading many people to sustain themselves by eating bush meat. Climate change is having far-reaching consequences, perhaps most startlingly seen in growing conflicts among pastoral communities. Animal Agriculture and Climate Change - 4.03k Followers, 1 Following, 537 pins | Animal Agriculture is responsible for 51% of greenhouse gases, more so than all fossil-fueled transport. For example, people often suggest that going vegan is the most important thing we can to stop the climate change. 7Hannah Ritchie, “Less Meat Is Nearly Always Better Than Sustainable Meat, to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint,” Our World in Data, 4 Feb. 2020. 1 agricultural source of greenhouse gases worldwide. My goal is to educate others about this great planet, and the ways we can help to protect it. At the same time, they are all significant byproducts of human activity, such as animal agriculture. Thankfully, methane only remains in the atmosphere for 12 years. “Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. 2Marco Springmann, et al., “Options for Keeping the Food System Within Environmental Limits,” Nature, 562.7728 (2018): 519–525. I'm one of the main writers on the site; mostly dealing with environmental news and ways to live green. We must act now ... Five years ago, our family felt hopeless about climate change, and helpless to make meaningful change… Agriculture and climate change: soy and other types of crops end up directly in the mouths of animals in intensive farms. The impact of these health hazards will only continue to grow as long as animal agriculture keeps fueling climate change. Needless to say, the result of this action is, On a global level, scientists estimate that. As is the case with animal agriculture’s impacts on soil, water, and air quality, the sector’s contributions to climate change cannot be viewed in a vacuum. 4United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), “Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” 28 May 2020. There is no pathway to achieve the Paris climate objectives without a massive decrease in the scale of animal agriculture, they added. We are on a mission to create awareness for this. PETA Rapid Action: Urge Officials to Close Live-Animal Markets NOW, URGENT: Sign the Petition to Shut Down Live-Animal Meat Markets, The Organic, ‘Free-Range,’ and ‘Humane Meat’ Myths, iy_2021; im_01; id_27; ih_09; imh_55; i_epoch:1611770112380, py_2020; pm_10; pd_28; ph_11; pmh_03; p_epoch:1603908213586, link-block; link-block_link-block; bodystr, pn_tstr:Wed Oct 28 11:03:33 PST 2020; pn_epoch:1603908213586, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/animals-used-food-factsheets/animal-agriculture-and-climate-change/. Animal agriculture harms human health in more ways than one: Cramped, filthy conditions on today’s intensive farms can lead to outbreaks of zoonotic diseases (which can spread from animals to humans). Climate change may affect animal agriculture in a variety of ways. However, it’s difficult to answer the question of how much we really impact the changes we witness. While we acknowledge its adverse environmental impacts, it’s also important to not minimize the much larger effect of fossil fuels. These include the ability to produce feed-grain, the quality of pastures and forage crop production, animal health, growth, and reproduction, and disease and pest distributions. One such activity that is a leading driver of climate change is animal agriculture—the practice of breeding and raising animals for food or clothing—which is responsible for more greenhouse-gas emissions than the entire transportation sector combined.1 That’s because it takes vast resources to raise cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, and other animals—from land, water, and feed to the electricity needed to power farms.2 Furthermore, many commonly farmed animals, such as cows, goats, and sheep, are ruminant. 14CDC, “Climate and Health: Climate Effects on Health,” 20 July 2020. Short Course: Basic Climate Science. Today, the average American farmer is able to feed about 144 people worldwide. 13Chufei Tang, et al., “Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Promoted Speciation in Mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae),” Communications Biology, 1 (2018): 182. McMichael, et al., “Climate Change and Human Health: Risk and Responses,” World Health Organization, 2003. Furthermore, a third of worldwide grain production is used to feed livestock. This course lesson by the Animal Agriculture in a Changing Climate Project describes the impacts of climate change on animal agriculture. Glaser, Christine, et al. Developing Extension Capacity to Address Issues Related to Climate Change and Animal Agriculture. 'M one of the sources of GHGs to determine strategies aimed at these! Help us undo significant amounts of damage Bloomberg Green, 4 Sep. 2014 has increased with almost percent. To receive e-mail unless you explicitly opt out by clicking, people for the next time i comment grazing... 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