Project
Livestock and Climate Change
Patrick Gallagher
Discovery Writing
November 2019
Agriculture
8% of total greenhouse gas emissions
Soil Management
Enteric Fermintation
Energy Use
Manure Management
Greenhouse Gases from Livestock
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
Carbon Dioxide
Breakdown by Animal
Methane
Breaks down in the atmosphere after about 12 years
About 84x more potent than methane
Produced in cow’s stomachs during digestion
Livestock Emissions
Increased 51% over 50 years
Rise of meat production in developing countries mainly the cause
Emissions of methane and nitrous oxide account for 8% of total greenhouse gas emissions
Developed countries’ emissions dropped 23%
Deforestation
Cattle ranching is responsible for 80% of deforestation in the Amazon
Land cleared to grow crops to feed livestock
Alternatives
Eat less meat
More environmentally friendly livestock production
Bioenergy cropping
Protein Alternatives
Counter Argument
Livestock and agricultural emissions are not as big as a problem as they have been criticized to be
The burning of fossil fuels, especially in transportation, is a much greater contributor
The numbers take into account every step of the supply chain
Ultimately Affects
Environment
Economy
Future of Agriculture
Bibliography
Caro, D., Davis, S. J., Bastianoni, S., & Caldeira, S. (2014). Global and regional trends in greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. Climactic Change; Dordrecht. 126. 1-2. (2014).
Friend, T. (2019, September 23). Can a burger help solve climate change? The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/
Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Community. (2019). Greenhouse gas emissions from livestock and poultry. Retrieved from http://www.lpelc.org/
Nunez, C. (2019, May 13). Carbon dioxide levels are at a record high. Here’s what you need to know. National Geographic. Retrieved from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
Shepard, M. (2019, June 26). 4 reasons climate change impacts on agriculture matter to you. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/
Stocks, C. (2019, June 6). The methane myth: why cows are responsible for climate change. Medium. Retrieved from http://www.medium.com/