Animals
Grizzly News!
In a victory for wildlife conservationists, indigenous tribes and concerned citizens — not to mention bears — a US court has ruled that grizzly bears living in the huge Yellowstone ecosystem will remain under federal protection and cannot be hunted. The basis for the ruling was that the bears’ continued growth in numbers is not assured, even though their comeback is one of the great conservation success stories. There were 140 bears in the region in the 1970s and now there are more than 700. They have even been able to expand their range to include areas they haven’t lived in for 100 years. www.theguardian.com
Food
The Fallacy of Food Miles
Covid-19 has made people even more aware of food security and food miles, with more calls to eat local and avoid food imports. While there are some benefits, it will not help reduce the carbon footprint of our food. Transportation accounts for only 6% of agricultural GHG emissions globally. Most of the global trade in food is moved by ship, generating 25 - 250 x fewer emissions than trucking. Air freight puts out 5 x more emissions than trucking but applies to only a very few food items. Most emissions come from how our food is produced, not how it is transported. www.chathamhouse.org
the Climate Crisis
The Blame Game
Who is to blame for global warming? Negotiations on reducing global emissions have usually foundered on the blame game, and who pays the bill. It’s a complex question. But researchers at Oxford University have put together a short engaging video that looks at all the angles including current, historical, national, and per capita emissions. And importantly, rebuts the most common excuses for passing the buck and not taking action. It leaves the top offenders with nowhere to hide and North Americans with no excuses. Check it out here
speaking words of wisdom
“One day future generations will look back on our abuse of animals in factory farms with the same attitude that we have to the cruelties of the Roman ‘games’ at the Coliseum … They will wonder how we could be blind to the suffering we are so needlessly inflicting on billions of animals” — Peter Singer, Princeton University philosopher
“Our descendants … [will] be baffled at our casual acceptance of an industrial agricultural model built on large-scale cruelty.” — Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times
Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur, We Animals Media
perspective
Photo: Devin McGloin on Unsplash
Climate Delayers: The Tools of the Trade
More people are becoming aware of the tactics used by climate deniers to stop real action to fight the climate crisis. But with growing recognition of the overwhelming evidence of the science and every day impact of global warming, the battleground has shifted and opposition to action now resides with “climate delayers.”
A new study in the journal Global Sustainability lays out the game plan and tactics that climate delayers use to avoid, derail or stop action to address the climate crisis. The study says that climate delayers “are those who accept the existence of climate change but justify inaction or inadequate efforts.” Their tactics are called the “discourses of climate delay.”
“In contemporary discussions on what actions should be taken, by whom and how fast, proponents of climate delay would argue for minimal action or action taken by others,” said Dr. William Lamb, lead author of the study, from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change in Berlin. “They focus attention on the negative social effects of climate policies and raise doubt that mitigation is possible.” The study shows that climate delayers can be individuals afraid of change, those not well informed of the urgency of the challenge/benefits of mitigation or powerful vested interests seeking to defend their economic positions.
The chart below shows the 12 discourses of climate delay, grouped into four overarching strategies: “redirect responsibility”; “push non-transformative solutions”; “emphasize the downsides”; and “surrender”.
For example, in a commentary in Carbon Brief, researchers explain how many politicians and industry leaders promote “whataboutism”, arguing that because their jurisdiction represents only a small proportion of global emissions, it will make little difference if they take action or not. As in “what about emissions in China?” The authors argue that the science is clear that we must act collectively to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 to have any chance of avoiding more than 1.5C of global warming.
Other examples include arguments that propose relatively trivial solutions to climate change and draw attention away from more effective measures. These include relying on uncertain technologies and potential future breakthroughs (“technological optimism”), making vague claims that fossil fuels are part of the solution (“fossil-fuel solutionism”), or calling for voluntary measures as opposed to restrictive policies, such as a carbon tax (“no sticks, just carrots”).
These discourses “can be compelling and build on legitimate concerns and fears as societies move closer to addressing climate change,” Dr. Lamb said. “They become delay arguments when they misrepresent rather than clarify, raise adversity rather than consensus or imply that taking action is an impossible challenge.”
Dr. Lamb argues that by being aware of these tactics, we can address and refute doubts that stand in the way of taking the significant action required to solve the climate crisis.
on The horizon
Photos l to r: Dawn Armfield on Unsplash; movinganimals.org; leneach fan ‘e Esk, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ceasing to Exploit Animals Will Prevent the Next Pandemic
The next pandemic? With the numbers of cases and deaths from Covid-19 still — after almost eight months — rising around the world, it’s difficult to focus attention on preventing the next one. Yet, it is widely predicted to happen so maybe this is exactly the time — while people are living through the devastation being wreaked on families, economies and human societies — to start talking about ways to avoid a repeat.
Two recently released reports advise we move away from exploiting animals to prevent the next pandemic. The first, from the United Nations Environment Program, “Preventing the Next Pandemic — Zoonotic Diseases and How to Break the Chain of Transmission”, says we need to unite human, animal and environmental health. The report identified seven trends driving the increase in the emergence of zoonotic diseases (those that jump the species barrier from animals to humans), including the increased demand for animal protein, a rise in intense and unsustainable farming, the increase in the use and exploitation of wildlife, and the climate crisis.
“The primary risks for future spillover of zoonotic diseases are deforestation of tropical environments and large scale industrial farming of animals, specifically pigs and chickens at high density,” disease ecologist Thomas Gillespie of Emory University, told The Guardian. “We are at a crisis point. If we don’t radically change our attitude towards the natural world, things are going to get much, much worse. What we are experiencing now will seem mild by comparison.”
The report identifies a “One Health” approach which unites public health, veterinary and environmental experts as an optimal method for preventing and responding to zoonotic disease outbreaks and pandemics. Recommendations include: strengthening the monitoring and regulation of practices associated with zoonotic diseases including food systems; incentivizing sustainable land management practices and developing alternatives for food security and livelihoods that don’t rely on habitat and diversity destruction; and, supporting the sustainable co-existence of agriculture and wildlife.
Another report, “Food and Pandemics” from Germany-based ProVeg International says, “using animals for food is the most risky human behaviour in relation to pandemics.” Our food choices create the conditions for zoonotic pandemics through: the destruction of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity (driven largely by animal agriculture); the use of wild animals for food; and, the use of intensively farmed animals for food.
“Transforming the global food system by replacing animal-based protein with plant-based and cultured alternatives provides a multiproblem solution — preventing not only future pandemics but also helping to mitigate parallel crises such as climate change, world hunger and antibiotic resistance,” the report said.
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this is embarrassing …
The self-proclaimed superior intellect of the human species took another hit when an African grey parrot named Griffin, outperformed or matched 21 Harvard undergraduates in a battery of memory tests. The tests were a complex version of the shell game that measures the brain’s ability to remember items no longer in view as they change location. This cognitive system known as “visual working memory”, is considered one of the foundations for intelligent behaviour. Participants had to track which object was under which cup up to 4 x and Griffin performed as well as, or slightly better than, the undergrads on 12 of 14 tests.
Put that in your cracker …
Good news
Photos l to r: Jonathan Mast on Unsplash; Gzen 92 CC BY-SA 4.0
European bison will soon be reintroduced to the UK for the first time in 6,000 years. Starting in 2022, a small number of these endangered animals will be released in woodlands in Kent in southeast England in a bid to restore mixed-woodland forests. The animals’ natural behaviours also increase biodiversity in plants, birds and insects. Scientists are hoping to follow the re-wilding success of beavers, reintroduced 400 years after they were hunted to extinction. These intrepid engineers have restored wetland habitats and helped control flooding in numerous pilot projects throughout the UK.
In a recent study, 70% of respondents from Asian countries said they were “very unlikely” to buy products from open markets in the future. And China announced plans to phase out the slaughter and sale of live poultry at its food markets. www.theguardian.com
Colorado recently became the seventh US state to ban the use of cages on egg farms. All eggs sold are required to be cage-free by 2025. www.theguardian.com
An editorial published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition by researchers from the pro plant-based, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine found that — based on a review of clinical trials and epidemiological studies related to aging — “plant-based diets can reduce the risk of diseases such as Type-2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease by almost 50%”. The editorial also cited a number of studies saying that eating plant-based may cut the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease by more than 50% and could reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by an estimated 40%.
A group of students in the EU have spotted a gap in the market for more complex-structured plant-based seafood compared with fish sticks and burgers. They have started to 3D print salmon fillets for sushi or sashimi and smoked salmon. “Legendary Vish” offers a sustainable option (an estimate three trillion fish are taken out of the oceans every year), using locally-sourced ingredients such as mushroom, pea protein and nut oils to recreate the nutritional value of fish. The product will also negate energy used for fishing vessels and transportation. It is currently under development awaiting funding before launching a company but consumers should get their first taste by 2022. www.foodnavigator.com
data points
According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, production of red meat in the US declined by 18% in May 2020 compared with May of 2019. Veal was down 18%; beef down 20%; and pork 15%. Meanwhile, according to research from Mintel, 20 million Brits (almost 40% of meat-eaters), say they are reducing their meat consumption, and the number who have eaten meat-free foods increased to 65% in 2019.
Photo: CDC on Unsplash
2. As if the current pandemic wasn’t enough, there are already fears about future disease outbreaks. A recent study found that a strain of Swine flu prevalent in China has the potential to spread to humans. 10% of pig farm workers tested were shown to have developed antibodies against a new type of Swine flu (G4), suggesting it could jump from pigs to humans. There is no evidence at this time of human-to-human transmission.
3. Food-borne illness is more prevalent than one might think. But different food systems yield surprisingly different results. According to the CDC, 1 in 6 Americans fall ill from food every year. But in the UK, only 1 in 28 suffer the same fate, according to the UK Food Standards Agency.
4. Confused by the carbon footprint of our food choices? This short video explains which foods generate more emissions and why. Produced by Vox and Oxford University researchers, it shows us how we can fight the climate crisis by making the right food choices. Watch it here
the deeper dive
Researchers say most people don’t pay much attention to their national food guides but they play a huge role in influencing large food purchasers such as schools, universities, nursing and retirement homes, and government institutions.
Governments Are Shockingly Bad At Recommending Healthy Diets
A new study shows that governments around the world are doing a “shockingly bad” job of recommending healthy and environmentally sustainable diets to their citizens. Research published in the British Medical Journal BMJ looked at the official food guides of 85 countries and found that only two countries, Sierra Leone and Indonesia, are on track to meet UN goals for improved health and fighting the climate crisis. Adopting higher dietary standards could save millions of lives every year and significantly reduce emissions.
Our diet and food systems are responsible for 33% of global GHG emissions, according to the UN IPCC. Current diets are responsible for high rates of preventable disease (some cancers, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes), high early mortality rates and billions of dollars in healthcare costs. The study says that current diets in most countries are neither healthy nor environmentally sustainable.
“Countries are surprisingly bad in helping their populations to eat what they say is a good diet,” lead researcher Marco Springmann, Oxford University told The Guardian. “It was really shocking.”
The comprehensive study found that people are eating more red and processed meat than recommended by national or World Health Organization guidelines, as well as too few fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains in all but a few countries.
“If everybody around the world followed the national dietary guidelines of either the USA or the UK, then food-related emissions would exceed the food-system limits for avoiding dangerous levels of climate change by more than three times,” Springmann said in a BMJ commentary, ”Most governments shy away from providing clear recommendations on limiting the consumption of [meat and dairy], despite their exceptionally high emissions and resource use.” The study looked at the health and climate impacts of three types of diets: those recommended in national dietary guidelines; what people actually eat; and the “planetary health” diet.
The planetary health diet was developed by the EAT-Lancet Commission in 2019 and is a blueprint for radically improving our track record on preventable disease and deaths and fighting the climate crisis. The plan requires that red meat and sugar consumption be cut by half, while vegetables, fruit, pulses and nuts must double, at a global level. The impact on developed world eating habits is the most significant. For example, North Americans would need to eat 84% less red meat but six times more beans and lentils to be consistent with the standard.
The BMJ study shows that the planetary health diet would deliver huge health and environmental benefits. If adopted globally, it would reduce millions of preventable deaths and cut GHG emissions by 13%. For example, annual avoidable deaths would fall by 78,000 - 104,000 in the UK, 480,000 - 585,000 in the US and 1.1 - 1.8 million people in China.
While this widespread adoption is unrealistic in the short term e.g., the researchers recognize that the “planetary health” diet is not affordable for some low income countries without significant support for healthier food systems and diets. However, it does show the huge scale of the potential benefits and therefore the urgency to address the issue.
“A reform of national dietary guidelines that takes into account both health and environmental aspects is urgently needed,” Springmann said. The researchers recommend much stricter limits for meat and dairy, both for health and environmental reasons, and more dietary options based on plenty of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes. And these guidelines need to be supported by targeted health promotion programs to spur adoption.
Canada revised its national dietary guidelines in 2019 to reduce the emphasis on meat and dairy and increased the focus on plant-based foods but, like most nations in the study, the food guide still falls short of the health/climate standards of the “planetary health” diet.
related article
Plant-based food: A neglected climate policy option
climate stories
These articles are adapted from The Climate Beat, the weekly newsletter of Covering Climate Now, a global journalistic initiative committed to more and better climate coverage.
As Justin Worland wrote in the cover story for a tour-de-force Time magazine special issue recently, “In the future, we may look back at 2020 as the year we decided to keep driving off the climate cliff—or to take the last exit.” A serious response to the threat, he said, means spending on green energy, restricting emissions for companies that receive government bailouts, and bolstering green transportation in cities. Entrenchment in fossil fuels will instead spell climate catastrophe. “What we do now,” Worland wrote, “will define the fate of the planet—and human life on it—for decades.”
The special issue opened with a great cover. starkly depicting the earth’s temperature and sea levels rising in tandem with CO2 emissions—but there’s hope, perhaps, with an emissions dip in 2020 and renewable energy also on the rise. The issue further includes a profile of the prominent activist group Extinction Rebellion, a close look at the planet’s at-risk oceans, an interview with Ugandan youth activist Vanessa Nakate, and more.
Mongabay covers growing investments in agroforestry, an important and widely overlooked part of the climate solutions toolbox. US agriculture has long seemed to ignore trees, the story explains, but recognition is on the rise that agroforestry is “climate-friendly, environmentally sustainable, and profitable.”
charting our path
Animal Ag Leading Source of Record High Methane Emissions
A new report by the Global Carbon Project shows that scientists are concerned about record levels of methane emissions, its dangerous capacity to speed up global warming, and the role of animal agriculture as the primary source.
Typically, we focus on the oil and gas industry as the leading source of anthropogenic (human-caused) methane emissions. This research shows that agriculture and waste is the number one source, with enteric fermentation (digestive processes of ruminants like cattle and sheep) and manure being the most important. Extracting and processing fossil fuels comes in second. The study calls for stronger action to mitigate the damage done in both areas.
Methane (CH4) is a highly potent greenhouse gas (GHG) with a global warming potential of 86 and 28 x greater than CO2 for time horizons of 20 and 100 years. It’s responsible for 23% of the global warming produced by GHGs.
As the chart shows, we are producing significantly more methane than can be absorbed, thereby increasing global warming. The current trajectory takes us well beyond the Paris temperature targets.