Koneswaran G, Nierenberg D. Global farm animal production and global warming: impacting and mitigating climate change.
Environ Health Perspect 2008;
116:578-82. [PMID:
18470284 PMCID:
PMC2367646 DOI:
10.1289/ehp.11034]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2007] [Accepted: 01/27/2008] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The farm animal sector is the single largest anthropogenic user of land, contributing to many environmental problems, including global warming and climate change.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to synthesize and expand upon existing data on the contribution of farm animal production to climate change.
METHODS
We analyzed the scientific literature on farm animal production and documented greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as various mitigation strategies.
DISCUSSIONS
An analysis of meat, egg, and milk production encompasses not only the direct rearing and slaughtering of animals, but also grain and fertilizer production for animal feed, waste storage and disposal, water use, and energy expenditures on farms and in transporting feed and finished animal products, among other key impacts of the production process as a whole.
CONCLUSIONS
Immediate and far-reaching changes in current animal agriculture practices and consumption patterns are both critical and timely if GHGs from the farm animal sector are to be mitigated.
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