It is axiomatic that we live in the Anthropocene, which in my view is a post-Holocene epoch exemplified
by mankind’s unchallenged dominion over the earth. Our capacity to change the chemical,
physical and biological attributes of our planet has been likened to the
aftermath of a volcano or earthquake or glacier.
At the heart of the dysfunction of our relationship with our
home, planet earth is the structure of the modern economy and our dietary
choices, especially high consumption of animal products in developed countries,
and now increasingly in developing countries.
Our addiction to fossil fuels, as well as a surge the in
demand for food, fodder, biofuels, and meat products has precipitated unprecedented
emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. These gases are
referred to as greenhouse gases because when they are released into the
atmosphere they trap solar radiation, raising regional and global temperatures
and alter entire climate systems. The effects of a changing climate system are
manifested in extreme weather – droughts, floods and heat waves – rising
oceans, hunger and conflict over scarce resources, as well as emerging and
re-emerging infectious diseases.
Globally, efforts aimed at slowing down global warming have
been limited to regulatory mechanisms and financial incentives necessary to
reduce emissions from industry, energy and transportation. Moreover, we have
been pre-occupied with the effects of global warming on agriculture. Until
recently the contribution of the global food system to greenhouse gas emissions
and global climate change has receive d tepid attention.
It is estimated that agriculture contributes between 19
and 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Land use change, especially
conversion of forests to pasture and cropland in the tropics releases more
carbon dioxide annually than does every bus, car, train and truck in the world.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) methane accounts
for nearly half of total agricultural emissions. The largest source of methane
is the digestion of organic materials by livestock. Agriculture generates 65
percent of anthropogenic nitrous oxide and 35 percent of methane, which have
289 times and 25 times the Global Warming Potential (amount of heat trapped per
unit mass of gas) of carbon dioxide respectively.
FAO has projected that cropland and pasture-based food
production will increase by 60 percent by 2050 to meet rising global food demand
owing to population growth and affluent diet preferences. This implies that
cropland must expand by circa 42 percent, fertilizer application will increase
by 45 percent and tropical forest cover will decline by a further 10 percent to
create land for agriculture.
A new study, “Importance
of food-demand management for climate mitigation”, led by University of
Cambridge scholars and published in the journal Nature Climate Change warns that an increase in global food demand
would result in a whopping 77 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions from
agriculture. Clearly, to push for more food production by adding more land,
more technology, more inputs and more livestock could erode critical planetary
boundaries and push vital earth systems beyond critical thresholds into
alternative but sub-optimal states.
Meeting global food supply needs must not only happen
though increased agricultural production. Options that address the demand side
of global food must be on the table. In this regard, healthier diets through
consuming less meat products, reducing food waste and cutting food losses (both
pre-and-post-harvest) must be part of a combination of solutions to ensure food
security while avoiding dangerous climate change.
For example, reduction of global meat
consumption could halt deforestation and achieve significant cuts in greenhouse
gas emissions. More importantly, the 1 billion tonnes of barley, wheat, oats,
rye, maize and sorghum that go into livestock feeding troughs to produce meat
could nourish half of the world’s 7.2 billion population. Moreover, it is
estimated that the amount of food wasted in the developed world, 2.3 billion
tonnes, is equivalent to the entire food production in Africa. FAO estimates
that eliminating post harvest losses could bring an additional 14 million
tonnes annually to Africa’s cereal ledger.
Climate change mitigation policies must not focus solely
on energy and transportation sectors. By consuming less meat, eliminating waste
and reducing post harvest losses, our food system can be part of the solution
to the climate crisis, complementing efforts to de-carbonize our economies. Moreover,
adopting agroforestry practices offers significant carbon sequestration benefits,
enhancing our capacity to achieve food security without increasing greenhouse
gas emissions.
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