Cows are Innocent
Livestock farming is often accused of being one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, even more polluting than transportation. But this narrative is misleading and distracts from the real climate priorities. It’s time to set the record straight.
At COP29 and the G20, I discussed the role of livestock in greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are not the same thing.
A MISLEADING MYTH The belief that the livestock sector emits more greenhouse gases than transportation originates from the 2006 FAO report "Livestock’s Long Shadow". However, this claim is based on a distorted comparison:
- Livestock: Emissions were calculated considering the entire lifecycle of meat production (Life Cycle Assessment or LCA), from cereal cultivation to distribution and consumption.
- Transportation: Only tailpipe emissions were included, ignoring the full lifecycle impacts, such as the production of materials, energy consumption, and oil extraction.
For nearly 20 years, this flawed methodology has perpetuated the false notion that cattle have a greater environmental impact than transportation.
THE DIFFERENCES CO2 and CH4 differ not only in molecular composition or global warming potential (methane is 28 times more potent than CO2) but also in their atmospheric lifespan.
CO2: Persists in the atmosphere for centuries.
CH4: Breaks down within 9-12 years.
This distinction divides them into:
- Stock gases (like CO2), which accumulate over time.
- Flow gases (like CH4), which cycle quickly.
To develop truly effective climate policies, we must recognize and leverage this crucial difference.
GLOBAL EMISSIONS Fossil fuels (coal, gas, and oil) account for 78.4% of global CO2 eq emissions (industrial energy 24.2%, residential sector 17.5%, transportation 16.2%, chemical and cement industries 5.2%).
In contrast, livestock and related manure (livestock and manure) contribute only 5.8% of global emissions.
AN UNJUST SCAPEGOAT The narrative against the livestock sector, amplified by ideological and commercial interests, distracts from the real climate priorities. Comparing biogenic methane to fossil fuels risks driving ineffective policies and unfairly penalizing a sector critical to global food security.
THE VIRTUOUS CYCLE OF RUMINANTS Methane emissions from cattle are part of a natural, renewable cycle that does not introduce new carbon into the atmosphere:
- Plants absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, producing oxygen (which we breathe) and carbohydrates.
- Cattle, with their unique four-stomach digestive system and complex microbiome, digest cellulose — indigestible for humans — and convert it into methane (CH₄).
- Methane released into the atmosphere breaks down into CO₂ within 9-12 years, making it available to plants again.
This zero-sum cycle ensures that the amount of CO₂ released through methane is equal to the amount absorbed by plants initially. Additionally, ruminants utilize resources otherwise unusable, transforming them into valuable foods like milk and meat, reducing waste and environmental impacts from biomass management.
- Biogenic methane is part of a natural and renewable cycle that does not add new carbon.
THE REAL PROBLEM Fossil fuels (gas, oil, and coal), accumulated in the Earth's crust over millions of years, have been extracted on a massive scale by humans only since 1850. The CO2 they release is new to the environment, adds carbon to the atmosphere, and accumulates for centuries, if not millennia.
INNOVATION Despite its zero-sum cycle, the livestock sector continues to evolve to reduce emissions and become a climate solution:
- Feed additives: Limit methane production during digestion.
- Methane capture: Transform emissions from manure into energy, reducing fossil fuel use.
These innovations push livestock farming beyond neutrality, actively contributing to global emission reductions.
Livestock, often unfairly blamed, is actually a climate asset. With innovative technologies and a natural, virtuous cycle, it can contribute to a resilient future by balancing food security with emission reductions.
Strategic Consultant
1moCows are indeed innocent but we still have to be aware that methane gas plays much more significant role in creating green house effect than CO2. Transportation mainly release CO2 while cows emmit CO2 and also methane gas.
Project Manager at European Institute of Agroenvironmental Culture, INOCUA
1moEsto tienes que leerlo Matilde Moro Valentín-Gamazo
Expertise in finance, particularly business credit, for 9 years | Government services, specifically in the livestock sector, for 6 years | Sustainable projects through the integration of palm oil and cattle.
1moThe article challenges the common belief that livestock significantly contributes to the greenhouse effect, highlighting instead that cattle are essential sources of protein for human nutrition. Besides providing protein, cattle waste has environmental benefits, such as enhancing soil fertility when used effectively. The real issue lies in human management of these resources. To foster a sustainable environment, we must optimize the use of cattle and their waste, emphasizing their substantial positive impact on human life. Truly a fascinating perspective!
Helping Manufacturers Improve Efficiency & Cut Costs Through AI-Powered Technology
1moI have to admit, I’ve been one of those people confidently claiming livestock was the climate’s arch-nemesis—turns out I was just recycling misconstrued data. Thanks for the clarity Prof. Paganini! That said, I do wonder about a couple of points. First, as demand for meat grows, doesn’t expanding farmland for livestock feed risk reducing biodiversity and natural CO2 sinks, making the zero-sum argument less clear-cut? And second, even with methane breaking down in 9-12 years, wouldn’t reaching a certain livestock threshold create a dangerous lag that could tip the scales toward unsustainability?
Co-Fondatore Responsabile perseguimento beneficio comune presso Private Rental Srl - Start Up Innovativa - Società Benefit
1moGrazie Professore per aver chiarito e detto la verità su una questione così chiacchierata su tutti i media ed i social. Non ci descrivono però l'inquinamento causato dalle guerre ad esempio.