Livestock's Pollution: Cowspiracy's Shocking Claim Explored

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is a documentary that claims that the livestock industry is the number one polluter and a leading cause of environmental damage. The documentary, directed and produced by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, argues that animal agriculture is the number one global cause of carbon emissions, with 51% of carbon emissions being blamed on livestock. The documentary also highlights the impact of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and the severe burden that industrial livestock production places on the planet's natural resources. The filmmakers blame livestock for deforestation, overhunting of predators, and cattle waste runoff into rivers and oceans.

Livestock's contribution to carbon emissions

The documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, produced and narrated by Kip Anderson and directed by Keegan Kuhn, claims that the livestock sector is the number one global cause of carbon emissions, attributing 51% of greenhouse gas emissions to livestock, particularly cattle. The documentary criticises environmental groups for not focusing on this issue.

However, this claim has been disputed. The actual figure for the contribution of livestock to carbon emissions is a matter of debate, with estimates ranging from 12% to 19.6%. The claim of 51% is based on a 2009 Worldwatch Institute report that was never peer-reviewed by the scientific community. Nevertheless, it is generally agreed that livestock is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than most other food sources, with beef and dairy being the largest sources of livestock emissions.

Livestock emissions come from several sources. Feed production and processing contribute about 45% of the total, while enteric fermentation, which produces methane, a gas with a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide, accounts for about 39%. Manure storage, with its associated methane and nitrous oxide emissions, makes up about 10% of the total, while the remaining 6% is attributable to the processing and transportation of animal products.

The impact of the livestock sector on the environment goes beyond carbon emissions. Livestock is also responsible for significant land use change, including deforestation and the conversion of grasslands, which leads to habitat loss and is a major driver of biodiversity change and species loss. Livestock also contribute to water pollution, with cattle waste runoff into rivers and oceans, and nutrient pollution, with livestock in the US producing about 600 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year.

Environmental organisations' response to livestock pollution

The documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, produced by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, claims that the livestock sector emits 51% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. It also criticises environmental groups for not focusing on this issue. However, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) estimates that livestock emissions account for 14.5% of global emissions. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimate that all agriculture, forestry, and land use activities combined emit 26% of the world's emissions, which aligns more closely with the UN FAO estimate.

Environmental organisations have responded to the issue of livestock pollution in various ways. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), for example, has worked for decades to address the environmental impact of the livestock industry. They have recognised that industrial livestock production severely burdens the planet's natural resources and contributes significantly to global warming. The NRDC has advocated for federal dietary guidelines to reduce meat consumption and is working to reduce red meat purchasing in the food service industry. They have also exposed the impacts of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in their report "Cesspools of Shame" and challenged illegal grazing practices, enforced clean air and water laws, and advocated for greater accountability by the EPA in regulating confined animal feeding operations. Additionally, the NRDC has helped pass legislation in California prohibiting the routine use of antibiotics in livestock, and persuaded major food companies to phase out meat raised with these drugs.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has identified measures for farmers to reduce emissions from livestock production, including improving animal feeding strategies and manure handling practices. The Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) was established as an umbrella organisation to bring together NGOs, scientists, industries, and governments to address the environmental impacts of livestock. However, it has been undermined by the FAO leadership, which has been accused of censorship and incompetence regarding greenhouse gases and emission sources.

Some countries, like the Netherlands, have proposed livestock reduction plans to address nitrogen emissions, but they have faced significant political challenges from right-wing farmer parties. The United Nations has also struggled to incorporate the farming sector into its climate summits, with no explicit mention of "livestock reduction" in any of its texts.

Overall, while environmental organisations have taken various actions to address livestock pollution, there is a perceived need for greater collective attention to this issue, as argued by Cowspiracy producers.

Livestock's impact on water consumption

The documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret claims that the livestock sector emits 51% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, making it the leading cause of environmental damage. It argues that environmental groups have not paid enough attention to the pollution caused by the livestock industry. However, the NRDC refutes this claim, stating that they have worked for decades to hold the livestock industry accountable and that the EPA estimates direct emissions from livestock and their manure to be 3.6% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

Livestock farming has a significant impact on water consumption and scarcity. Water scarcity is dependent on blue water use, which includes water used for irrigation and feed crops. By reducing feed irrigation, the contribution of livestock to water scarcity can be decreased. Additionally, using a "watering system" where livestock do not have direct access to natural water sources can help protect water resources and improve nutrient distribution in the field.

The quality of water available to livestock can also impact their health and feed consumption. Stale or poor-tasting water can cause a reduction in water consumption, and it may also be a host for disease-causing organisms. Water quality considerations for livestock include the potential impact on animal health, the safety of animal products for human consumption, and the possibility of spreading diseases.

The production of animal agriculture, including livestock, contributes to freshwater pollution. Pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers used in feed crop production can interfere with the reproductive systems of animals and poison waterways. Livestock farming is also a significant driver of land use change, which is a major contributor to biodiversity change and the loss of species.

In conclusion, while the exact percentage of emissions attributed to the livestock sector is debated, it is clear that livestock farming has a substantial impact on water consumption and the environment as a whole. Reducing the environmental impact of livestock farming can be achieved through measures such as decreasing feed irrigation, implementing proper watering systems, and addressing water quality concerns.

Livestock's role in deforestation and habitat destruction

The documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret claims that leading environmental organisations are ignoring the livestock industry as a leading cause of environmental damage. The film's co-producers, Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, argue that institutional and individual attention to selected environmental issues will not make a collective difference unless the realities of animal agriculture are confronted.

Livestock uses 30% of the Earth's total land mass, including nearly 50% of mainland US. The growing demand for animal farmland is responsible for 80% of Amazon rainforest destruction. With 160 million acres cleared or degraded annually for the animal industry, 40% of the rainforest will be destroyed in 20 years, affecting species survival and carbon sequestration. Animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Beef production is responsible for at least 41% of deforestation globally, mostly in the Amazon rainforest region of Brazil and other Latin American countries.

The Amazon is home to an astonishing array of life, with over 40,000 species of plants, 3,000 species of fish, 1,300 species of birds, 430 species of mammals, and 2.5 million species of insects. It also plays a critical role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in plant matter in the soil. However, the Amazon and forests worldwide have faced escalating threats in recent decades, with about 5 million hectares lost each year since 2000.

While most deforested agricultural land is used for crops, many of these crops are grown solely to feed livestock that are grazing on other deforested land. If these crops are included in the count, the share of deforested land used for animal agriculture rises to 77%. The World Conservation Union reported in 2010 that "most of the world's endangered or threatened species" on their Red List are suffering from habitat loss due to livestock, not agriculture. Similarly, the Species Survival Commission of the World Conservation Union and the Convention on Biological Diversity believe that "habitat loss from grazing livestock and feed crops" is the most pervasive threat to terrestrial animal species, impacting 86% of all mammals, 88% of amphibians, and 86% of all birds.

In addition to the direct habitat destruction caused by clearing forests and converting land to grow feed crops and for animal grazing, the widespread use of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilisers in feed crop production often poisons waterways and interferes with the reproductive systems of animals.

Livestock's effect on climate change

The documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, claims that the livestock sector emits 51% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. However, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates global livestock emissions at 14.5%, while the U.S. EPA and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimate that all agriculture, forestry, and land use activities combined emit 26% of global emissions. The livestock sector's share is, therefore, likely closer to the UN FAO estimate.

Livestock uses 30% of the Earth's total land mass, including nearly 50% of mainland US. The growing demand for animal farmland is responsible for 80% of Amazon rainforest destruction. Animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, with 70 billion animals being raised annually worldwide. The World Conservation Union reported in 2010 that most of the world's endangered or threatened species on their Red List are suffering from habitat loss due to livestock. This is supported by the 2004 Global Species Assessment, which states that habitat loss from grazing livestock and feed crops impacts 86% of all mammals, 88% of amphibians, and 86% of all birds.

The effects of climate change on resources will lead to shifts in the global agricultural area, changes in seasonality, and crop and livestock suitability. Climate change is a threat to livestock production due to its impact on the quality of feed crops and forage, water availability, animal and milk production, livestock diseases, reproduction, and biodiversity. The livestock sector contributes 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, driving further climate change.

Climate change and population growth are major stressors on livestock production. Water is used at various stages of the livestock supply chain, and with animal water consumption expected to increase by a factor of three, demand for agricultural lands will increase due to the need for 70% growth in production. The extreme heterogeneity of the agricultural sector needs to be considered when defining the overall sustainability of a mitigation strategy, and a combination of existing options is required to reach the best result.

To mitigate climate change, nitrification inhibitors have been demonstrated as an effective practice to reduce nitrous oxide emissions. Intensive rotational grazing systems are being promoted to increase forage production and reduce nitrous oxide emissions.

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