“When we think of the main causes of climate change, we often think of burning fossil fuels for industry, the energy sector and transportation. But there’s another hidden culprit, and it’s on your plate: industrial farms”. With these words, Jacqueline Mills, World Animal Protection’s Livestock Campaign Manager, rekindled the old and controversial debate on the subject. how meat consumption itself contributes to climate change.
The data confirm the effect. And this If global consumption of chicken and pork alone were to be halved by 2040, the world would eliminate 45 million cars.ie 3% of all vehicles traveling on the planet’s roads.
While there are many studies on how beef production (which has the greatest impact) affects the environment, the impact of chicken and pig breeders is less well known. For this reason, the World Animal Protection Association (World Animal Protection) decided to examine the industry’s contribution to climate change.
In a report posted on its website, the organization insists Our diet is closely linked to the health of the climate, especially due to intensive methods of meat production. and therefore he insists that a change in consumption can have a positive impact on the future of the planet.
Pork and chicken underestimated compared to cow
The role of pork and chicken in climate change has often been underestimated. In fact, the methane released by cows from digestion and manure has been much more studied. Although pig and chicken manure also contribute to aggravating the damage to the planet, the reality is that they only account for 20 to 25 percent of emissions from this industry. The greatest environmental impact is found in the diet of these animals.
The researchers took data from four “critical” points of production and consumption on the planet: Brazil, China, the Netherlands and the United States—as a representation of four continents. That’s when they realized that emissions from the chicken meat industry in these four countries were equivalent to keeping 29 million cars on the road for a year.
Feeding a family of 4 chickens for a week is equivalent to cutting down four trees to grow crops to feed those animals. In the same scenario where only pork is eaten, the number of trees lost is 5. In other words, 4 and 5 trees must be cut down, respectively, to put 10 kg of chicken and pork on the market.
Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of chicken feed. With production used only for its own consumption, its impact on the environment triples. In other countries that import this feed, the impact on climate change is doubled.
Crop production for animal feed is also very detrimental to the water supply. as well as the use of fertilizers and pesticides that pollute the rivers on which humans and animals depend.
In China, where corn and wheat are grown to feed pigs, the water used in these products accounts for 90% of the country’s total water use for pork production. “Intensive animal production, directly or indirectly through the food chain, is responsible for the destruction of vital habitats, the displacement of wildlife, and is the biggest cause of animal suffering on the planet,” Mills said. Said.
increasing trend
But there is a solution. Halving chicken and pork consumption by 2040 will halve the annual climate impacts of chicken and pork production. This would be equivalent to removing 45 million cars from the roads for a year. However, the trend is completely opposite. Within eight years, it is expected to increase to 30% in Africa, 18% in Asia Pacific, 12% in Latin America and 9% in North America.
“Governments must take steps to meet their deforestation and emissions commitments by ending intensive production,” Mills emphasizes. The study insists that action must be collaborative between governments, industry and the population. Urges managers to stop subsidizing such farms; industry to initiate the transition to a more sustainable system, eliminating the monoculture supply and improving the living conditions of animals; and citizens will gradually choose to eat less meat (eat less and better).
Basic work: https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/ClimateChangeandCrueltyFinalReport-WEB.pdf
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