impact of animal farming on climate change & natural resources

climate change (CO2) (1)

takes on average about 11x as much fossil fuel to produce 1 calorie of animal protein as it does to produce a calorie of grain protein

(2)

more climate efficient to produce protein from vegetable sources than from animal sources

CO2 produced in a no. of ways

feed production: intensive farming relies on high-energy crops - require synthetic fertilisers. making these fertilisers generates CO2 emissions globally

energy use

fossil fuels power farm machinery, heating, cooling & ventilation systems in large scale operations

processing & transport

slaughtering, packaging & transporting animal products emit millions of tonnes of CO2 annually

deforestation

clearing forests for grazing & feed crops increases global CO2 emissions

soil degradation

overgrazing can degrade soil, causing carbon stored in the soil to be released into the atmosphere

Nitrous Oxide (1)

about 300x more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2

(2)

Meat, egg & dairy industries account for 65% of worldwide nitrous oxide emissions

(3)

nitrous oxide from manure & fertilisers contributes around 30% of livestock related emissions

Methane (1)

Cows, sheep & goats produce methane gas while digesting food

(2)

So emitted from acres of cesspools filled with pigs, cows & other animals faeces

(3)

methane = 2.5x as effective as CO2 at trapping heat in our atmosphere

(4)

Ruminant animals eg cows produce methane during digestion through enteric fermentation

(5)

Methane from livestock represents about 40% of livestock emissions & is over 80x more potent than CO2 over a 20 year period

Bottom line

animal farming - major driver of climate change. reducing emissions from this sector is central to meeting global climate targets

Water (1)

livestock farming accounts for about 27% of global freshwater use

(2)

regions facing drought & water scarcity eg parts of africa, sout

(3)

as water becomes increasingly scarce, industries including agriculture are under pressure to reduce their water footprint

Animal products have a significantly larger water footprint compared to plant-based foods:

-beef requires about 15,400 litres of water/kg

-pork requires about 6000 litres/kg

-chicken requires about 4,300 litres/kg

-vegetables average 300 litres/kg

feed production

largest share of water use comes from growing feed crops eg corn & soy - require extensive irrigation. grain based feeds use significantly more water from rivers, lakes & aquifers & polluted water than grass based feeds

farm operations

waters needed for drinking, cleaning & cooling livestock facilities

processing & slaughtering

meat processing plants use large volumes of water for cleaning, refrigeration & packaging

poor management of manure, fertilisers & soil can lead to: manure runoff

improper storage/excessive application of manure as fertiliser can contaminate rivers & lakes

Eutrophication

nitrogen & phosphorus from manure & fertilisers promote algal blooms - deplete oxygen & kill aquatic life

pathogens

animal waste can introduce harmful bacteria eg E coli & salmonella into water sources

antibiotic contamination

studies show 75-90% of antibiotics given to livestock are excreted unmetabolised, entering & contributing to antimicrobial resistance

soil erosion

overgraxing & intensive farming practices increase runoff of sediments & pollutants into water sources

Bottom line

animal farming = leading driver of freshwater depletion & pollution. reducing meat consumption, improving manure management & adopting sustainable farming practices are essential to protect global water sources

soil (overgrazing & soil compaction) (1)

overgrazing removes protective vegetation leaving soil exposed to wind & water erosion

(2)

high stocking densities damage soil structure as livestock hooves compact the ground, reducing its ability to absorb water

(3)

compacted soil = prone to water logging increasing runoff & flooding

(4)

nutrient depletion forces reliance on synthetic fertilisers - degrade soil & pollute waterways

overfarming for animal feed (1)

intensive livestock systems rely on high energy crops eg corn & soy - often grown using monoculture - depletes soil nutrients & reduces biodiversity

(2)

continuous monoculture farming diminishes soil organic matter requiring heavy fertiliser use

(3)

fertiliser runoff introduces nitrogen & phosphorus into rivers, causing eutrophication & harming aquatic ecosystems

deforestation & land use change (1)

rising meat demand drives deforestation for pasture & feed crop cultivation

(2)

beef production accounts for 41% of tropical deforestation

(3)

tree removal eliminates root systems that sterilise soil, accelerating erosion

(4)

loss of canopy cover exposes soil to heavy rainfall, increasing sediment runoff into rivers & reducing soil fertility

good farming practices can protect & restore soil health:

• rotational grazing & grass-based systems reduce pressure on land

• integrating livestock into crop rotations improves soil fertility & organic matter

• proper manure management enhances soil nutrients without polluting waterways

bottom line

intensive animal farming accelerates soil erosion, nutrient depletion & deforestation threatening global food security & ecosystem health. sustainable practices & reduced meat consumption are essential to preserving soil resources