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Haganum Model United Nations Gymnasium Haganum, The Hague Research Reports United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change The question of carbon dioxide emission in the meat-industry 10th, 11th and 12th of March 2017 Eleonora Raus Forum: UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Issue: The question of carbon dioxide emission in the meat-industry Student Officer: Eleonora Raus Position: Deputy President Introduction Climate change has been a hot-topic in the past decade. It has been blamed on the burning of fossil fuels that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, however, some other contributors to global warming have been ignored and not properly addressed. This includes the meat-industry that manufacture animal products. The effects of keeping livestock in mass numbers are known to harm the environment, as it destroys ecosystems, pollutes waters and emits greenhouse gases, hence increasing global warming. One millennium ago, the meat-industry did not have as big an effect on greenhouse gas emissions as the human population was smaller, and therefore produced noticeably less animal products. Particularly people in developed countries encountering rapid urbanisation are eating more meat and dairy than before. China in 2009, for instance, had 3.6 chickens per person. Greenhouse gases contribute to climate change because of the greenhouse effect, as there is less heat that escapes into space and more that is emitted back to the Earth. The meatindustry produces methane as the by-product from farm animals, therefore the more live stock, the more methane will be released from their feces and gases. Another greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, is largely formed by the transportation of the food products and the increase in demand for burning fossil fuels to maintain and work the industry’s infrastructure. Definition of Key Terms Ranch A large farm on which a particular crop or kind of animal is raised. Meat-industry The meat-industry handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock. Livestock Livestock are domestic animals, such as cattle or horses, raised for home use or for profit, especially on a farm. Currently in the world, there are approximately 1.4 billion cows, 50 billion chicken, 1 billion pigs and 1 billion sheep. The largest emitters of greenhouse gases out of this list are cows, followed by pigs and sheep. They have ruminant digestive systems, meaning that when consuming certain foods, bacterial breakdown is performed that releases methane. Greenhouse gases There are multiple gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. They all absorb infrared radiation. Background Information The history of the meat-industry It is not until the past two centuries that animal ranching has been taken to an extremely large scale. There is a clear correlation between the increase of meat-production and the rise in greenhouse gas emissions. Comparing Figures 1 and 2 makes it apparent that these two have a positive correlation. Particularly since the middle of the 20th century there have been large rises in both. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), future demand for meat is expected to increase by two-thirds. See Figure 1 for the current situation on meat consumption across the globe. Figure 1 http://www.csiro.au/greenhousegases/ Figure 2 http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5019e/y5019e05.htm Greenhouse gas emissions There have been shocking amounts of expansion in the meat-industry from 20 years ago to today. A study suggests that since 1990, the world livestock numbers for poultry (birds) has increased by 104.2%, whilst the ranching of cattle has increased by 16.5%. This has had an enormous toll on the environment. The World Watch Institute states that livestock upkeep is accountable for 51 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. The FAO state that it is only accountable for 18 percent. Clearly this is a controversial topic, because the statistics do vary from nation to nation. In more developed countries, the percentages of greenhouse gas emissions tend to be higher for the burning of fossil fuels, however, this does not mean that the meat-industry does not contribute. When discussing greenhouse gas emissions, the most advertised one is carbon dioxide, however, it is not the only culprit in threatening human kind’s future. If 1kg of methane would be released into the atmosphere, it would produce 72 times more warming than carbon dioxide during the course of twenty years. Unfortunately, its quantity in the air has increased by 150 percent since the 18th century. The gas particles absorb the sun’s heat by blocking the light photons, and then radiate it back to the Earth. Studies suggest that one kilogram of beef is equivalent to a car driving for 250 kilometers. This is because many farmers choose to feed perennial ryegrass and grains to their animals. The livestock do not consume these in their natural environment. Instead, cattle prefer a diversity of plants. As their digestive systems are not equipped for consuming unfamiliar foods that have been sprayed with fertilizers, gases are formed inside their stomachs. Methane is therefore released as a by-product to their manure. The fermentation occurring within the feces itself supplies the atmosphere with disproportionate quantities of greenhouse gases. It is not only cows who are responsible, but the livestock sector in general (including pigs, chicken and sheep). Additional economic and environmental costs result from the meat-industry: the food that is fed to the livestock has to be transported across large distances. The transportation of these goods is done by ship, plane, truck and train, therefore emitting carbon dioxide in the process of traveling. Deforestation to create pastures In tropical nations like Brazil, it is evident that agricultural farming is unsustainable, as ecosystems suffer from deforestation for the creation of land for cattle. Forests are not only cleared for the livestock to graze on, but the fields are also used for growing crops like soy and corn to feed the animals. Since cows consume 15-20kg of feed a day, the meat-industry creating a burden on the environment to supply the 1.5 billion cows with food and pastures. With less trees, less carbon dioxide is absorbed from the atmosphere, enhancing the greenhouse effect and thus speeding up climate change. Burning fossils fuels to maintain the keeping of livestock To keep the meat industry running, energy is required for the working of slaughter houses, packaging infrastructure and more. In the USA, 1% of the total energy is used to maintain livestock. This is partially in the form of burning fossil fuels which negatively impacts the environment, as it is unrenewable. With 25 kilocalories of fossil fuel required to produce 1 kilocalorie of meat, the future looks grim. A growing meat-industry therefore means a higher demand for energy, resulting in an increase in demand for fossil fuels due to its low cost and high calorific value. Major Countries and Organisations Involved United States of America (USA) The USA produces 19% of the total beef in the world and their government spends 38 billion dollars a year for subsidizing the meat-industry. The average American eats 91 kilograms of meat annually, and largely because of this, 56 327 kilometers of their rivers have been polluted with animal waste. Since the USA is in the top ten countries who emit the most greenhouse gases, their policies to limiting the production of meat and dairy should be tightened. Currently, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans has advised civilians to turn more towards a plant based diet, however, this has been advertised for the sake of individual health and not for slowing global warming down. European Union (EU) Following the US, Brazil and China, the EU is the fourth largest producer of beef, and is highly ranked for other livestock farming too. In the early 2000s, there was a decline in demand for meat, therefore less was produced, hence leading to Europe becoming a large net exporter. “In the past 10 years, EU beef production has declined nearly 15% while the U.S. has been relatively flat and Brazil and China have both increased over 60%.” Because of the threat of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (commonly known as mad cow’s disease), EU laws regulate the meat-industry by setting standards for animal nutrition, hygiene and handling. For example, “the spreading of manure on pastures is banned until after all the snow has melted in the spring.” Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) The FAO is a UN body founded in 1948. Their goals are ‘to eradicate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources.’ This organization has been actively involved in researching the agriculture industry and questioning its sustainability. As it is one of the largest UN bodies for agriculture, it has potential power when it comes to limiting green-house gas emissions in the meat-industry. Timeline of Events Date Description of event First scientific research is conducted on methane emissions in 1960 agriculture (including livestock and rice farming) 1970 Geologists found alarming methane quantities deposited into sea ice 1994 The UNFCCC was entered into force 2005 The Kyoto protocol was put into action. Relevant UN Treaties and Events Kyoto protocol This is an international treaty signed by 192 in 1997 and was put into action in 2005. The Kyoto protocol asks State Parties to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. It follows the objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), which is to decrease greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to "a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” Paris agreement In 2015, the Paris agreement was made with in the UNFCCC. One of its aims is to hold the increasing global temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius. By signing this treaty, countries wish "to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century." Previous Attempts to solve the Issue An interesting solution that has been proposed to limiting greenhouse gas emissions is cultured meat, that is created using tissue-engineering technology. Starter cells are taken from animals via biopsy and “through fluctuations in temperature an environment is created.” In 2013, a lab-grown burger was tried for the first time, and it was claimed to have a very close consistency to farmed meat. Unfortunately, cultured meat is currently too expensive to become a commercial product, however, with further research and investment it can become affordable for every person. There have been creative approaches to this issue, and Argentina's National Institute of Agricultural Technology (ANIAT) has contributed in 2014. Their investigating has led to the finding of a device that traps the methane released from a cow’s digestive process before the gas has even left their body. The energy collected is converted into biofuels that can then be used to power electrical devices. Though new technology, it should be further invested in and this type of international research should be funded by the UN. Possible Solutions A hot topic is veganism, which claims to solve greenhouse gas emissions in the meatindustry. Though it is unrealistic for all nations to turn their population’s to eating only plant based diets, demand for meat should still decrease. A potential solution is to request governments to cut (or at least limit) subsidies for animal products, and begin subsidizing plant based foods instead. This will lower the price of, for example, fruit and vegetables, making them more appealing for consumers to purchase. According to the Law of Demand in economics, fall in prices means an increase in consumer demand. Increasing the price of meat will therefore decrease its demand. As discussed earlier, farmers feed their livestock in the cheapest way possible. Certain grains, however, form harmful gases inside the cow’s stomach as the hydrogen generated from ruminal digestion gets converted into methane through the help of micro-organisms. Research has been conducted to find which grains are best to feed cows and which produce the least methane. Canadian studies found that corn produces 30% less methane once digested in comparison to barley. Governments could reward farmers who use sustainable feed, by lowering their taxes or subsidizing their products. Beyond improving animal diets, proposed remedies to the multiple problems include soil conservation methods together with controlled livestock exclusion from sensitive areas; setting up biogas plant initiatives to recycle manure; improving efficiency of irrigation systems; and introducing full-cost pricing for water together with taxes to discourage large-scale livestock concentration close to cities. Improving livestock manure treatment is a possible solution. “Cow dung gas is 55-65% methane, 30-35% carbon dioxide, with some hydrogen, nitrogen and other traces. Its heating value is around 600 B.T.U. per cubic foot.” Member States could enforce the usage of anaerobic digesters in (particularly factory) farms (see Appendix II for further information). This solution could benefit developing countries who seek cheap energy sources. One of the most significant methods to preventing further damage to the climate and environment is to have Member States ban livestock upkeep in sensitive areas, particularly from vulnerable habitats like the Amazon. This will prevent overgrazing, deforestation, habitat destruction and endangering species. In the resolution, it must be specified how this obligation shall be put into action by nations. Appendix or Appendices I. “Effects cattle have on the environment” http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772#.WIEWzrYrKu4 II. “More information on using manure as an energy source” http://www.s4e.co.in/waste_cattle_dung.php III. “Paris agreement 2015” http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2016/01/01/parisagreement-will-impact-meat-and-dairy/#6a91b64e696d Bibliography "Are Cows the Cause of Global Warming?" Time for change. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <http://timeforchange.org/are-cows-cause-of-global-warming-meat-methane-CO2>. "Cultured Meat." Cultured Meat. Maastricht University, Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <https://culturedbeef.org/>. "Do Cows Pollute as Much as Cars?" HowStuffWorks. 16 July 2007. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/methane-cow1.htm>. Frazier, Reid. "Why Methane Is Such a Potent Greenhouse Gas." The Allegheny Front. 08 July 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <http://www.alleghenyfront.org/why-methane-is-such-a-potentgreenhouse-gas/>. "Kyoto Protocol." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol>. "Meat and the Environment." PETA. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <http://www.peta.org/issues/animalsused-for-food/meat-environment/>. "Meat Industry." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meat_industry>. "Prairie and Crops." Reducing Methane in Dairy and Beef Cattle Operations: What Is Feasible? Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <http://prairiesoilsandcrops.ca/articles/volume-1-3-print.pdf>. "Properties." American Chemical Society. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/climatescience/greenhousegases/properties.html>. "Rearing Cattle Produces More Greenhouse Gases than Driving Cars, UN Report Warns." UN News Center. United Nations, 29 Nov. 2006. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772#.WIEWzrYrKu4>. Stone, Maddie. "The Future Will Be Full of Lab Grown Meat." Gizmodo. 27 May 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <http://gizmodo.com/the-future-will-be-full-of-lab-grown-meat-1720874704>.