A well-rounded and wide-ranging article, unpicking some of the myths around the industry.
There are also important global concerns to bear in mind. Nowadays, apart from Tea Party fanatics, the human role in climate change is not widely denied. But the understanding of responsibility by sector is under-appreciated. The 2006 UN report Livestock's Long Shadow attributed 18 per cent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions to livestock production. But even this figure is dwarfed by the estimate of Robert Goodland (formerly the lead environmental adviser at the World Bank) and Jeff Anhang in 2009 who concluded that 51 per cent of human GHG emissions come from the raising of animals for food. If they are proved correct then the EU will surely seek to curb livestock production.
The fact that a large proportion of Irish cattle are grass fed offers no reassurance as this produces four times more methane than grain-feeding. Our agricultural sector produces more emissions than any other, and occupies land that could be reafforested.
The Climate Change Bill 2013 targets an 80 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050. This would leave total annual emissions at 11 million tonnes of carbon equivalent. But agriculture alone currently accounts for 19 million tonnes. That means if everything else was reduced to zero, we would still need to substantially reduce the national herd.
What is particularly depressing is the implication (fact?) that over half the diet consists of meat but it's also good to have confirmed what I've been saying to locals for a long time (though they don't believe it or simply dispute it) - that over half (and growing) of farm income is subsidy.
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
What about unpicking the main myth, that we must support an ever increasing human population? If that was dealt with, you wouldn't need such a large agricultural system.
It's all very well to feed cattle grain to reduce methane, but grain fed meat is not as good a diet ingredient as is grass fed. There are no free lunches. With every advantage there's always a disadvantage.
To become an extremist, hang around with people you agree with. Cass Sunstein
woodburner wrote:What about unpicking the main myth, that we must support an ever increasing human population?
But we do need to feed those alive and there are shedloads of food. And, as the article points out, much food production is geared to corporate profit rather than any actual need.
We also need to work on stabilising, then reducing the population, of course. Happily, that comes about, partially, as people get properly fed.
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
