Very little is said about the effect of animal agriculture on climate change

The effects of livestock farming on climate change are significant and well documented. The livestock sector is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which is about the same amount as emissions from the global transport sector.

Very few people know about this fact, and in general, very little is said about it. Emphasis is usually placed on transportation, power generation, industry, etc…. but almost never talk about animal agriculture, which is a very important part of agriculture, since most of the land and resources of agriculture are dedicated to feeding the animals, to later feed ourselves.

Just by way of example, a short time ago I read that in the Colorado River (USA) 70% of the water is used for animal agriculture, with the aim of raising cattle for meat and other products.

And what is worrying is that as people move out of poverty they consume more meat, and that is an upward trend for the next few years. And the reason is very simple: people like meat, which also in many countries is considered a food for the “rich”, which is what we all want to be.

Pollutant emissions from animal agriculture come from a variety of sources, including:

Enteric Fermentation Methane: Ruminant animals, such as cows, sheep, and goats, produce methane as part of their digestive process. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 28 times that of carbon dioxide.

Nitrous Oxide from Manure: Livestock manure is a major source of nitrous oxide, another potent greenhouse gas. Nitrous oxide is produced when manure breaks down in the soil.

Land use change: Animal feed production requires a large amount of land, which often leads to deforestation and other forms of land use change. Deforestation releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contributes to climate change.

In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, animal agriculture also has a number of other environmental impacts, including:

• Water contamination
• Air pollution:
• Biodiversity loss:
• Etc ….

The environmental impacts of animal agriculture are significant and growing. And as the world's population continues to grow, so will the demand for meat. This will put even more pressure on the environment and make it more difficult to mitigate climate change.

And to make the situation worse, large food companies (such as Tyson Food and many others) dedicate significant amounts of money to "lobby" the administrations and try not to talk about their business, and if they do talk, it is to minimize their efects. And they have lots and lots of money to lobby.

I am very clear that we must reduce the consumption of meat, and especially "red" meat: The best way to reduce the environmental impact of animal agriculture is by eating less meat, and this can be done by choosing fish or other alternatives. plant-based, such as legumes and others.

The environmental, social, and ethical implications of animal agriculture are complex and multifaceted. There is no easy solution to the problem, but it is important to be aware of the issues and make decisions that are as sustainable and ethical as possible.