http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7600005.stm

Several palates will be skeptical of this new strategy, but UN climate change scientists have a new way to combat greenhouse gas emissions – by challenging our daily diet. Most people have meat with each meal, and according to new estimates by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, this habit is the blame for 18% of the greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere. The UN scientists conclude that if people lower their consumption of meat products, demand is lowered and less farm area is necessary. While many people understand the main culprit to be the animals releasing methane through their waste product, that is actually only one part of the problem. The primary issue is the land clearance that occurs when more farmland is needed, which occurs with the increased demand for more meat production. The loss of tropical forest land is especially crucial in contributing to the global warming trend.

The FAO figure of 18% includes greenhouse gases released in every part of the meat production cycle - clearing forested land, making and transporting fertiliser, burning fossil fuels in farm vehicles, and the front and rear end emissions of cattle and sheep.

 

The contributions of the three main greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide - are roughly equivalent, the FAO calculates.

 

Transport, by contrast, accounts for just 13% of humankind's greenhouse gas footprint, according to the IPCC.

 

Dr. Pachauri will be speaking at a meeting organised by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), whose main reason for suggesting people lower their consumption of meat is to reduce the number of animals in factory farms.

 

CIWF's Ambassador Joyce D'Silva said that thinking about climate change could spur people to change their habits.

 

"The climate change angle could be quite persuasive," she said.

 

"Surveys show people are anxious about their personal carbon footprints and cutting back on car journeys and so on; but they may not realize that changing what's on their plate could have an even bigger effect."

Since several hamburger enthusiasts have trouble grasping the concept of giving up meat, changes in the production process could be a more welcoming approach. And while people may be resistant to giving up their craving for meat, restaurants and other food distributors might choose to encourage a changed diet, similar to their approach to using less plastic bags and packaging. A mix of societal, governmental, and corporate controls will have to account for any change that occurs to the standard "meat and potatoes" mentality.

BBC NEWS; September 7, 2008

Submitted by K. Rutherford