Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate

Urgent climate challenges have triggered calls for radical, widespread changes in what we eat, pushing for the drastic reduction if not elimination of animal-source foods from our diets. But high-profile debates, based on patchy evidence, are failing to differentiate between varied landscapes, envir...

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Main Authors: Houzer, E., Scoones, Ian
Format: Informe técnico
Language:Inglés
Published: Institute of Development Studies 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115311
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author Houzer, E.
Scoones, Ian
author_browse Houzer, E.
Scoones, Ian
author_facet Houzer, E.
Scoones, Ian
author_sort Houzer, E.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Urgent climate challenges have triggered calls for radical, widespread changes in what we eat, pushing for the drastic reduction if not elimination of animal-source foods from our diets. But high-profile debates, based on patchy evidence, are failing to differentiate between varied landscapes, environments and production methods. Relatively low-impact, extensive livestock production, such as pastoralism, is being lumped in with industrial systems in the conversation about the future of food. This report warns that the dominant picture of livestock’s impacts on climate change has been distorted by faulty assumptions that focus on intensive, industrial farming in rich countries. Millions of people worldwide who depend on extensive livestock production, with relatively lower climate impacts, are being ignored by debates on the future of food. The report identifies ten flaws in the way that livestock’s climate impacts have been assessed, and suggests how pastoralists could be better included in future debates about food and the climate.
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spelling CGSpace1153112026-01-04T08:18:36Z Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate Houzer, E. Scoones, Ian livestock research climate change livelihoods proteins Urgent climate challenges have triggered calls for radical, widespread changes in what we eat, pushing for the drastic reduction if not elimination of animal-source foods from our diets. But high-profile debates, based on patchy evidence, are failing to differentiate between varied landscapes, environments and production methods. Relatively low-impact, extensive livestock production, such as pastoralism, is being lumped in with industrial systems in the conversation about the future of food. This report warns that the dominant picture of livestock’s impacts on climate change has been distorted by faulty assumptions that focus on intensive, industrial farming in rich countries. Millions of people worldwide who depend on extensive livestock production, with relatively lower climate impacts, are being ignored by debates on the future of food. The report identifies ten flaws in the way that livestock’s climate impacts have been assessed, and suggests how pastoralists could be better included in future debates about food and the climate. 2021-10-01 2021-10-06T07:03:12Z 2021-10-06T07:03:12Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115311 en Open Access application/pdf Institute of Development Studies Houzer, E. and Scoones, I. 2021. Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate. Brighton: PASTRES (Pastoralism, Uncertainty, Resilience).
spellingShingle livestock
research
climate change
livelihoods
proteins
Houzer, E.
Scoones, Ian
Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate
title Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate
title_full Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate
title_fullStr Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate
title_full_unstemmed Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate
title_short Are livestock always bad for the planet? Rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate
title_sort are livestock always bad for the planet rethinking the protein transition and climate change debate
topic livestock
research
climate change
livelihoods
proteins
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115311
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