29.nov.06
Agence France Presse
ROME -- A report released today by the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) was cited as concluding that the livestock industry contributes more to the greenhouse effect than cars, and is major source of soil and water degradation, stating, "The livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent than transport."
FAO was further cited as saying that by this yardstick, livestock now accounts for 18 percent of man-made carbon emissions, driven by the surge in demand for meat and dairy products.
Global meat production is set to more than double from 229 million tonnes in 2001 to 465 million tonnes in 2050, according to a UN projection. Milk output is projected to soar from 580 million to 1,043 million tonnes over the same period.
Livestock also accounts for 37 percent of all human-induced methane, which is 23 times as warming as CO2 and is largely produced by the digestive system of ruminants, and for 64 percent of ammonia, a big contributor to acid rain.
Not only that, but livestock's demand for feed crops contributes to biodiversity loss.
The report proposes to increase the efficiency of livestock production and feed crop agriculture, and to improve animals' diets to reduce fermentation and consequent methane emissions.