Files and links (1)
CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
The Missing Target: Why Industrialized Animal Farming Must Be at the Core of the Climate Agenda
Animals (Basel), Vol.15(22), 3256
2025
PMID: 41301964
Abstract
Global greenhouse gas reduction targets are applied to many sectors in many countries, as part of the Nationally Determined Contributions mandated within the Paris Agreement (climate). However, industrialized animal farming is typically missed out or deprioritized. This is despite suggestions that excluding this sector would automatically result in global failure to meet 1.5 °C and potentially even 2 °C maximum temperature rise targets, even if fossil fuel use were to immediately cease. To foster further discussion and assessments about the need for such targets in relation to industrialized animal farming, this study collated and analyzed recent studies on the impacts of industrialized animal farming on the environment. Of the 579 items initially retrieved, 47 studies were shortlisted. Over three quarters (
= 37, 79%) of the shortlisted studies were unequivocal concerning the significant negative impact industrialized animal farming has had, and continues to have, on climate change and broader environmental concerns-between 12 and 20% of
greenhouse gases, and 50%, 32%, and 76% of all
eutrophication, soil acidification, and land use, respectively. This all creates immense contributions to biodiversity loss, which itself further aggravates climate change. The remaining studies did
assert that industrialized animal farming had an
significant impact; however, their findings complicated the picture in one way or another (e.g., suggesting suboptimal measuring methods) or they had flawed methodologies. As a matter of urgency, the present paper recommends that targets for significant reductions in levels of animal production and consumption should be incorporated into discussions and policies for tackling the climate crisis, such as at COP30.
Details
- Title
- The Missing Target: Why Industrialized Animal Farming Must Be at the Core of the Climate Agenda
- Authors/Creators
- Jenny L Mace - University of WinchesterAndrew Knight - Murdoch University, School of Veterinary MedicineFernanda Vieira - Forschungs- und Beratungsstelle ArbeitsweltPatricia Tatemoto - Institute of Biomedical ScienceMariana Gameiro - Rhode Island Department of Health
- Publication Details
- Animals (Basel), Vol.15(22), 3256
- Publisher
- MDPI; BASEL
- Number of pages
- 19
- Identifiers
- 991005833798807891
- Copyright
- © 2025 by the authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- College of Environmental and Life Sciences; School of Veterinary Medicine
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Metrics
3 Record Views