Meat production from the global livestock sector is projected to more than double over the next fifty years. This growth reflects an ongoing trend in developing countries--as incomes rise, people increase consumption of previously unaffordable foods such as meat and milk. As a result of income and population growth, meat supply has tripled in developing countries since 1980. A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) states that the environmental consequences of this "livestock revolution" are significant and require urgent action.

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The Role of Livestock in a Changing World

The global livestock sector provides livelihoods to about 1.3 billion people, most of whom are smallholder farmers in developing countries. In addition to direct income, livestock provide these farmers with organic fertilizer for their crops and a renewable source of energy for cultivating agricultural land. However, recent growth in the livestock sector has lead to the industrialization of livestock production. In other words, livestock production is moving closer to urban areas, is shifting away from smallholder farming towards large-scale commercial operations, and is intensifying with regard to inputs.

Global Livestock Density

From EarthTrends: Environmental Information

Environmental Impacts of the Livestock Sector

Livestock are one of the foremost contributors to today’s greatest environmental problems. The primary concerns outlined by the FAO report, Livestock’s Long Shadow – Environmental Issues and Options, include:

Global Warming. The livestock sector contributes 18 percent (measured in CO2 equivalent) of global greenhouse gas emissions. Although it accounts for only nine percent of global CO2, it generates 65 percent of human-related nitrous oxide and 37 percent of methane, which have 296 times and 23 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2 respectively. Furthermore, livestock are a major driver of deforestation--70 percent of former Amazon forests are now used for grazing.

Land Degradation. Livestock and the cropland used for feed occupy 30 percent of the earth’s entire land surface. Soil compaction and erosion resulting from overgrazing has severely degraded about 20 percent of pastures worldwide. This problem is particularly acute in drylands, where unsustainable livestock management contribute to desertification.

Water Pollution. The primary polluting agents of livestock are animal wastes (the average milk cow produces 120 pounds of waste daily), antibiotics and hormones, chemicals from tanneries, and the fertilizers and pesticides used to spray feed crops. Livestock-related pollutants are primary agents of eutrophication and the production of coastal "dead zones," which destroy aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. When located near cities, these pollutants also pose significant health risks. Furthermore, overgrazing disrupts water cycles, including the replenishment of ground and surface water resources.

Potential Solutions

According to the report, "the environmental costs per unit of livestock production must be cut by one half, just to avoid the level of damage worsening beyond its present level." The FAO recommends a number of policies in the areas of atmosphere, land, and water:

Atmosphere: increase the efficiency of feed crop agriculture, improve livestock diets to reduce methane emissions, and create manure recycling initiatives.

Land: remove obstacles to mobility on common pastures, implement soil conservation methods, and exclude livestock from sensitive areas.

Water: improve irrigation efficiency, introduce full-cost water pricing, and discourage large-scale livestock production near cities.

Individuals may also help by reducing personal meat consumption.

RELATED LINKS:

Full Press Release

Livestock, Environment and Development Initiative

FAO Animal Production and Health Division

EarthTrends:

Livestock Variables

Meat Consumption and Production Variables

Livestock Maps

Carniverous Cravings: Charting the World’s Protein Shift

Grasslands in Pieces: Modification and Conversion Take a Toll