The WWF has commented on a new report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on potential greenhouse gas emissions from livestock, highlighting the other environmental impact of the animal farming industry. The organisation has called for a halt to biodiversity loss in Brazil and for a reduction of meat consumption across the global middle classes.

26 September 2013 – Commenting on a report released today by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on greenhouse gas emissions by the livestock sector, WWF said that it was worrying that greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) from livestock have not been significantly reduced since Livestock’s Long Shadow, the FAO’s major report on this in 2006.

WWF said that, because the livestock and feed sector is the largest sectorial contributor to GHGe, countries need to take action as a matter of urgency if the world is to keep climate change below 2°C.

Duncan Williamson, corporate stewardship manager at WWF-UK, said: “This report shows that there’s a huge opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock sector – which governments and industry must seize.

“We also have to remember that livestock’s impact is about more than greenhouse gas emissions. Around 30 per cent of global biodiversity loss can be attributed to livestock production, such as the spread of pasture land or turning over forests and savannahs, like the Amazon and Cerrado in Brazil, to feed production. This needs to be halted as soon as possible.”

WWF said that production efficiencies alone are not enough, and that meat consumption should also be addressed. The groups said that the growing global middle class is eating more red and white meat than ever before, highlighting the need to move to more healthy, sustainable diets that have low greenhouse gas emissions and are affordable.

For further information, please visit www.wwf.org.uk or read the FAO report.