Livestock and Climate Change: What if the Key Actors in Climate Change Are... Cows, Pigs, and Chickens?
Goodland, Robert; Anhang, Jeff
WorldWatch Magazine, November/December 2009, online edition, 10p (PDF)
"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."
Robert Goodland retired as lead environmental adviser at
theWorld Bank Group after serving there for 23 years. Jeff Anhang is a research officer and environmental specialist at theWorld Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation, which provides private-sector financing and advice in developing countries.
Go to the
report at:
http://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/Livestock and Climate Change.pdf
D9/06-09 Posted December 8, 2009
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