Livestock and climate change: Fact and Fiction

Very nice article related to livestock production and climate change.

http://blogs.ucdavis.edu/egghead/2016/04/27/livestock-and-climate-change-facts-and-fiction/

 It is interesting that so many people are quick to shame climate change skeptics, based on a so called consensus about climate change, but throw science under the bus when it comes to actual policy. In essence, science is thinly veiled behind a very weak consensus to start with.

"While there is scientific consensus regarding the relative importance of fossil fuel use, anti animal-agriculture advocates portray the idea that livestock is to blame for a lion’s share of the contributions to total GHG emissions...The argument suggests the solution of limiting meat consumption, starting with “Meatless Mondays,” to show a significant impact on total emissions.....(however)...If all U.S. Americans practiced Meatless Mondays, we would reduce the U.S. national GHG emissions by 0.6 percent."

The article contains lots of data related to the impact of animal agriculture on GHG emissions with some very good infographics and discusses the importance of technology, efficiency, and intensification.

See also: Doing Nothing: A science based policy prescription for climate mitigation
               Climate Change, Matt Ridley, and Fat Tails
               Food Miles and Local Beef