THREAD 🧵

A recent @TheEconomist article has claimed that we should treat beef like coal to save the planet. We need to reduce emissions where we can, including livestock, but I have a few issues with their story.

Let’s debunk some claims, shall we?
1/
econ.st/3Dy3kto
This article is clearly aimed at readers in the U.S. and the West, to reduce beef consumption. But it uses global emissions which don’t do a great job of characterizing the impact livestock in the U.S. has on climate change.
2/
bit.ly/ch4vsco2
It attributes the “full impact of deforestation to the agriculture that results from it.” We absolutely need to stop deforestation. But American beef consumption doesn't lead to that, in part because of where our beef is typically exported.
3/
bit.ly/deforestationb…
The argument goes, if Americans eat less beef, U.S. beef producers will turn to exporting more of their product, which will stop cattle producers in other countries from deforesting their homelands.
4/
The thing is, Americans are eating less beef and producers are exporting more but we’re still seeing deforestation for grazing in parts of the world. It’s significantly more complicated than saying an American forgoing a burger will protect the Amazon.
5/
bit.ly/38tvTuF
This article also takes a global cradle-to-grave LCA for animal agriculture, and compares it to tailpipe emissions from transportation. Doesn’t seem like a fair comparison. Does it?
6/
bit.ly/3DBiOO5
And the fact that “it takes 33 plant calories to produce one calorie of beef,” is misleading at best. Cows mostly eat what humans can’t including roughage on marginal lands and upcycle waste that would normally go to landfills.
7/
Lab grown meats are a far way off from being cost-competitive at $10,000 per lb. They also have a scalability problem.

Issues @JoeFassler @TheCounter has researched and presented in a very good article
8/
thecounter.org/lab-grown-cult…
My recent white paper with @drsplace outlines a path to climate neutrality for the beef and dairy industries by 2050. An achievable goal that’ll take hard work and innovation.
9/
clear.ucdavis.edu/news/climate-n…
It’s outlandish to see comparisons of beef to coal. Reducing methane 18-30% can get U.S. dairy and beef to climate neutrality. We need to reduce coal (and other fossil fuels) 100% to get there.

Don't let agenda-driven articles, like this one, fool you.
10/10

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More from @GHGGuru

29 Aug
THREAD

~0.35%. That’s the annual methane reduction needed for agriculture CH4 to be #ClimateNeutral. Reduce ~5% annually, we can neutralize all additional warming from ag CH4 since the '80s. WE CAN DO THIS!

More on @CGIARclimate & @nature_org paper ⬇️
bit.ly/3mDg6BC 1/
GWP* vs GWP100 better describes how #methane emissions impact the climate. Using GWP100 overestimates the warming impact of constant CH4 emissions by 3-4 times.

AND GWP100 misses climate benefits with decreasing emissions.

AND undersells warming when CH4 emissions rise.

2/
Why is GWP* important? From the paper: GWP* emphasizes CH4 reductions can only contribute meaningfully to limiting climate change, as long as CO2 hits net-zero.

GWP* shows the true benefits w/ CH4 cuts. Making the work farmers/ranchers are doing to cut CH4 more significant. 3/
Read 12 tweets
25 Mar
THREAD: The growing popularity of meat alternatives has not affected animal-sourced meat sales. Promoting plant-based alternatives as a recipe for #climatechange solutions is dangerously misleading and distracting.
theguardian.com/environment/20… 1/
While it may be true that meat alternatives are seeing a rise in sales, what the @guardian fails to provide is – and this is typical of the plant-based agenda – CONTEXT. Did you know that meat sales are actually at a record high? Up by 20%!
morningagclips.com/meat-purchases… 2/
It should be noted, the pandemic has changed our eating habits with many opting to cook at home rather than eat out. It’s possible we may see a dip in meat sales as life gets back to normal, but this doesn't mean the end of meat is near. For reference: 3/
Read 9 tweets
13 Feb
NEW BLOG/THREAD: It’s clear the firehose of misinformation around livestock’s impact on climate is ramping up. When I see misleading headlines on perceived credible media, it disappoints. My new blog brings context that is often missing from this convo. clear.ucdavis.edu/blog/bogus-bur… 1/
This headline for an @latimes column is not only incorrect, but the context within this article lacks any weight to make a real argument supporting the statement. The author says most emissions from agriculture stems from animal ag – that’s inaccurate. latimes.com/business/story… 2/
One fact I’m ALWAYS upfront about is this: There ARE climate impacts from animal ag. They tend to be overblown, but reducing them can absolutely help in our fight against climate change. Swapping burgers is not the climate savior some tend to believe. 3/
Read 14 tweets
4 Feb
THREAD:

Accounting correctly for methane’s short-lived nature isn’t greenwashing, it’s science. This great paper reinforces what we at @UCDavisCLEAR have been saying – agriculture methane warms differently than fossil CO2. 1/
LINK: doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.…
We need to rethink methane from ag, because it doesn’t warm like fossil CO2. Methane persists in the air for 12 years before most is removed. CO2 lasts for 1000 years, building up and warming long after it’s emitted. Here's a deep dive into ag CH4: 2/ clear.ucdavis.edu/news/methane-h…
If you haven’t seen it you, you should watch the CLEAR Center’s video on #rethinkingmethane, goes into more detail about how methane warms: 3/
Read 8 tweets
1 Feb
An interesting take by the @WSJ on balancing a healthy diet and a healthy planet. It’s becoming clear that animal-sourced foods can be part of a human-health solution. But it misses that animal protein can also be part of a healthy planet. 1/
wsj.com/articles/the-k…
Animal-sourced foods can be a #climatechange solution. I invite @garytaubes to check out resources on the incredible strides the dairy and beef industry are making toward sustainability. The California dairy industry is on its way to climate neutrality: 2/
clear.ucdavis.edu/news/methane-c…
Here's more on that topic by the @WWF: 3/
worldwildlife.org/blogs/sustaina…
Read 7 tweets
5 Dec 20
THREAD: Could eliminating meat from our diet be a simple solution to curbing our climate crisis? You may have heard the saying, ‘nothing good comes easy’. Well, yes. It’s not that simple – #climatechange has no easy solutions. My new blog explains. bit.ly/ghggurublog1204 1/
I want to start by stressing this: I have no beef with what you eat, whether that be a plant-based burger, one grown in a lab, or the old-fashioned kind from a cow – because that is your choice. 2/
As a scientist at the intersection of livestock & the environment, I work to reduce the environmental impact of animal protein for those who choose to eat it. It’s my duty to provide you with facts & resources around this subject so you can make the right decisions for you. 3/
Read 15 tweets

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