Livestock and climate change: What if the key actors in climate change are...cows, pigs, and chickens?

Abstract

Livestock production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for at least 51% of global anthropogenic GHGs. This contribution is underestimated due to several oversights and misallocations in current GHG inventories. Overlooked sources include livestock respiration, land use change for grazing and feed production, and methane emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management. Misallocated sources include emissions from deforestation for livestock production, farmed fish, and the production and disposal of livestock byproducts. Replacing livestock products with better alternatives, such as plant-based analogs, could reduce global anthropogenic GHGs by at least 12.5%. Doing so would also alleviate the global food and water crises and improve public health. – AI-generated abstract.