Climate change i climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation in zimbabwe i iied climate change working paper no. Economic and environmental benefits analysis of the final. Co mp a ra t i ve a n a l ysi s o f e n vi ro n me n t a l i mp a ct s o f a g ri cu l t u ra l p ro d u ct i o n syst e ms, a g ri cu l t u ra l i n p u t e f f i ci e n cy, a n d f o o d ch o i ce. From farm to fork, food production, processing, and transportation can accumulate enormous amounts of energy, water, and chemicals. The total investment cost of the project is estimated to be birr 7,677,257 of this. Food, livestock production, energy, climate change, and health pdf. This paper also adopts the food chain approach, analysing the environmental impacts arising from poultry production, and evaluating such impacts all the way from feed production to animal production and slaughtering.
While our environmental data primarily come from lcas, other methodologies estimating the environmental impacts of producing different foods show that while the environmental impacts of food production per unit produced varies across regions, the relative rankings of the environmental impacts of producing different foods is often similar 39, 40. It considers impacts on all environmental media air, water and land, at local, regional and global scales. This is based on a production schedule of 300 production days per year. The impact factor on the environment is related to the production volumes of. November 2010 a dairy farms footprint 3 the environmental footprint left in the wake of milk production is composed of three clusters of impacts. The recent intensification of agriculture, and the prospects of future intensification, will have major detrimental impacts on the nonagricultural terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the world. Grumbles acting assistant administrator, office of water mary t. Researchers extrapolate that global meat production will double by 2050 to about 1. One solution might be cultured meat, in which animal tissue is grown in a controlled environment using cell cul. Some of the environmental effects that have been associated with meat production are pollution through fossil fuel usage, and water and land consumption. Some lastresort antibiotics for humans are being used extensively in animals, with no replacements as of yet on the way. However, changes to livestock production systems also have signi. Pimentel introduction a h e a l t h y and prudently managed environment is a major benefit to humans and other species.
Finally, i address the impact of these consumption patterns on issues of sustainability. Indeed, across the four sectors addressed in the study. Global environmental impacts of agricultural expansion. By far the largest environmental impact of the meat is related to the production at the farm. Thisapproachshowsgreatpotentialofmeetingalltherequirementsofahumane,sustain able and healthy form of meat production. There may be no other single human activity that has a bigger impact on the planet than the raising of livestock. Meat production is the single most important source of methane, which has a relatively high warming potential but a low halflife in the environment compared with that of co2. Food chains around the world are responsible for a large share of total emissions of greenhouse gases ghgs. Socioeconomic impacts land is one of three major factors of production in classical economics along with labor and capital and an essential input for housing and food production. Introduction the environmental impact of meat production varies because of the wide variety of agricultural practices employed around the world. A life cycle assessment of the environmental impacts of a. Economic and environmental benefits analysis of the final meat and poultry products rule michael o.
The most substantial direct way in which meat production affects biodiversity is through land conversion to agriculture fig. Environmental implications of the foodservice and food. The gwp related to energy use for slaughtering amounts to 3040 kg co eq per animal. Environmental issues, climate changes, and energy security in developing asia. Impact of a growing population on natural resources. Lca focuses at the processes along a supply chain that deliver a service, accounting for material and energy inputs, and chemical emissions to the environment herein, life cycle inventory or lci, thus providing an appraisal of. This view of the food system has a focus on food, people and the environment, as well as factors that influence their interactions in the system, which uses inputs and generates outputs. Lithium 2 certain analysts believe that demand for lithium is likely to rise dramatically, due to the manufacturing and marketing of new electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptops. In feed, rice plays an important role since it is the source of many important nutrients for human beings.
The carbon footprint cf, the amount of greenhouse gases ghg emitted during a products lifecycle, was evaluated as an indicator of the wider environmental impacts of meat production using. Demand for lithium is rising friends of the earth europe. Environmental issues, climate changes, and energy security. The consumption of different types of meat and meat products has substantial effects on peoples health, and livestock production can. The analysis classifies the environmental impacts of the foodservice and food retail industries into three categories. New study shows the major environmental impact of meat. The burden from food production was primarily connected to the content of meat and dairy products in the mixed food waste, these having the largest co 2 footprint among the considered food products. Multiple health and environmental impacts of foods pnas. What environmental problems does wasting food cause.
One solution might be cultured meat, in which animal tissue is grown in a controlled environment using cell cul ture technology, thereby making the raising and killing of animals for food unnecessary. All life on earth obtains its food and other necessities from this environment. The physical presence of food that affects a persons diet, a persons proximity to food store locations, the distribution of food stores, food service, and any physical entity by which food may be obtained, or. Meat consumption, health, and the environment science. The impact of animal agriculture on global warming and climate change abstract the farm animal production sector is the single largest anthropogenic user of land, contributing to soil degradation, dwindling water supplies, and air pollution. This energy use is basically offset by the energy recovery from the byproducts from the slaughtering process like rumen content, blood tallow. A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use, said joseph poore, at the university of oxford, uk, who led the research.
The doubling of agricultural food production during the past 35 years was associated with a 6. Climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation in. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page information wikidata item cite this page. Livestock production which includes meat, milk and eggs contributes 40% of global agricultural gross domestic product, provides income for more than 1.
Our everyday food choices affect global warming and the environment. The best practice guidelines included in this document are based on current. Life cycle assessment lca research method was used for assessing environmental impacts of largescale cultured meat production. Apart from greenhouse gas emissions reported to be 18% of all emissions, the livestock industry is also a major source of land and water. However, the evidence is mixed on how specific food environment. The water footprint of meat production is one of the several. Environmental impact of energy technology options 10 a. Food environments can affect peoples food purchasing and eating choices, the quality of their diets, and dietrelated health outcomes. Who is aware of the consequences of industrial livestock production for poverty and hunger, displacement and migration, animal wel fare, or on climate change. Thus, land use is the backbone of agricultural economies and it provides substantial economic and social benefits.
Life cycle assessment lca is a widely used method to quantify the environmental impacts of food production systems 1,3. Priority products and materials, a report of the working group on the environmental impacts of products and materials to the international panel for sustainable resource management. In 2006 the food and agriculture organization fao of the united nations highlighted the many harmful contributions of the livestock sector. It is well established in the literature that reducing the amount of meat in global diets would reduce the environmental impacts of food production. Bir120,796,003 is the cost of fixed investment items, while the working capital and pre operation interest cost covers the remaining. While energy generation, transport and buildings have long been a target for governments, businesses and campaigners looking to reduce emissions, the impact from food production has often been. Cyanobacteria hydrolysate was assumed to be used as.
Increasing global demand and the impacts of climate change are already. Economic and environmental impact of meat consumption. Careful management of grassland systems can contribute to carbon storage, but the net benefits are likely to be relatively modest. Environmental benefits of natural fibre production and use. Smith director, engineering and analysis division samantha lewis project manager james covington economist lynn zipf biologist. Oilmeals, a second key element of the diet, are not so much a byproduct of the oil production process as a coproduct and in some years oilmeal demand actually. How does meat in the diet take an environmental toll. The growing world population implies an increase in food production. Environmental impacts of food production cl a rk, m. Avoiding meat and dairy is single biggest way to reduce.
There are no studies presenting the share for the global food production system, but as an indication, steinfeldt et al. Convention to combat desertification, it takes up to 10 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of meat, and in the united states alone, 56 million acres of land are used to grow feed for animals, while only 4 million acres are producing plants for humans to eat. Production has shifted from very materialefficient countries to countries that. The environmental impact of poultry production depends on numerous factors, among which are farm size, production system, diet composition, type of bedding used, etc. One of animal agricultures greatest environmental impacts is its contribution to global. Reducing the environmental impact of global diets trophic cascades. Vi environmental impact of eu livestock production 24. The need to assess the sustainability attributes of the united states beef industry is underscored by its importance to food security locally and globally. Fao and other development agencies continue to support member countries to achieve sustainable agriculture production and enhanced food security. Food production agricultural and animal source food production common topics economic economic performance agriculture natural resource management economic production figures and quality, value, income, employment. As well as the volume used, the types of antibiotics that are used in food production must also be considered. Unep 2010 assessing the environmental impacts of consumption and production.
Environmental water use efficiency and productivity, water quality, soil health, weed pest and land. However, the environmental aspects, such as impacts to the environment must be considered when choosing the type of food cultivation. Best practice management for chicken meat production in. Cyanobacteria hydrolysate was assumed to be used as the nutrient and energy source for. In nearly every step of meat, egg, and milk production, climatechanging. According to the fao, the worldwide production of meat and dairy is. Its easy to overlook the environmental impacts of our food because they are spread across all stages of a long process. However, changes to livestock production systems also have significant potential to reduce environmental impacts from meat production, and. Food production agricultural and animal source food. Regional variation in beef production and ghg emission intensities. But the production of meat has large environmental impacts increasing greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural land and freshwater use. A comparative study on the water footprint of poultry, pork and beef.
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