environment: The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture Flashcards
This deck parallels the briefing at vbriefings.org/environment
About this Deck: “The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture”
This deck parallels the briefing at: https://vbriefings.org/environment/
—There are no formal citations here, although sources may be mentioned. Full citations with links are provided in the briefing.
—It would be best to read the briefing before studying these cards. Reading the briefing first provides understanding and context.
What is the briefing titled “The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture” about?
An overview of the devastating impacts of animal agriculture on the environment.
Summarize the briefing on The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture.
Animal agriculture is a major driver of global warming, deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, biodiversity decline, and ocean dead zones
Its inefficiency plays a key role, as large areas of farmland are devoted to feeding livestock while providing relatively few calories and protein for people.
Adopting plant-based diets, which have the smallest environmental impact, is one of the most effective steps toward reducing these harms and ensuring a sustainable future.
What often leads people concerned about the environment to embrace ethical veganism?
After adopting a vegan diet for environmental reasons, they become aware of the injustices within animal agriculture and embrace the ethical case against animal exploitation.
What are the key points presented in the briefing on the environmental impact of animal agriculture?
- Scientists, institutions, and experts agree on the severe destructive impact of animal agriculture.
- Vegan diets have by far the smallest environmental footprint.
- Animal agriculture plays a major role, if not the major role, in our most urgent environmental problem—global warming.
- Animal agriculture is strongly implicated in habitat loss, deforestation, desertification, water waste, air pollution, and excrement contamination.
- Biomass distribution figures put animal agriculture’s dominance of the planet in perspective.
- The root cause of animal agriculture’s environmental harm is its extreme inefficiency.
According to the Worldwatch Institute, what is a major driving force behind environmental damage?
The human appetite for animal flesh, which contributes to deforestation, erosion, water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social justice issues, and disease spread.
What did the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) call meat?
UNEP called meat the “world’s most urgent problem.”
What did the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) say about the use of animals as a food-production technology?
UNEP stated that the use of animals as a food-production technology has brought humanity to the verge of catastrophe.
What did the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) suggest would reduce harmful environmental impacts?
UNEP suggested that a substantial worldwide diet change away from animal products would be necessary to reduce harmful environmental impacts.
What is Joseph Poore known for?
(environment briefing)
Joseph Poore is a PhD Oxford researcher who led a 2018 comprehensive study examining 38,700 farms in 119 countries, representing 90% of the world’s protein and calorie consumption, to analyze agriculture’s environmental impact.
According to Joseph Poore, what is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on the planet?
A vegan diet is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on the planet.
What did Joseph Poore say about the environmental benefits of avoiding animal products?
He said that avoiding animal products delivers far better environmental benefits than trying to purchase sustainable meat and dairy, and it has a bigger impact than cutting down on flights or buying an electric car.
What did Sir David Attenborough say about changing our diet?
Sir David Attenborough stated, “We must change our diet. The planet can’t support billions of meat-eaters.”
According to economist Lindsay Wilson, how does the carbon footprint of a vegan diet compare to a meat-centric diet?
Vegan diets have roughly half the carbon footprint of a meat-centric diet.
How does the carbon footprint of a vegan diet compare to the average American diet, according to Lindsay Wilson?
Vegan diets have about 60% of the carbon footprint of the average American diet.
What did findings published in the Journal Nature Food in 2023 reveal about plant-based diets compared to meat-rich diets?
Plant-based diets produce about 75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, use 54% less water, and require 75% less land than meat-rich diets.
What did a 2020 study published in Science conclude about the role of food system emissions in meeting climate targets?
A 2020 study published in Science found that even if we eliminate all non-food emissions, it is unlikely we could meet our climate targets without reducing food system emissions, which includes transitioning to plant-rich diets
According to a 2022 study from Stanford and Berkeley, what is the potential impact of phasing out animal agriculture?
Phasing out animal agriculture has the potential to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions.
Why is methane emitted by livestock particularly harmful to the climate?
Methane is 80 times more potent at warming the planet than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
How much does livestock contribute to global warming according to various estimates?
Estimates of livestock’s contribution to global warming vary from 14.5% to 87%, depending on assumptions made.
—18%: 2006 UN FAO Livestock’s Long Shadow (Not Peer Reviewed)
—51%: 2009 Worldwatch Institute Goodland and Anhang: at least 51%. They identified and corrected many under-counted emissions other problems with the UN report (was peer reviewed).
—14.5%: 2013, UN revised to 14.5% after forming partnerships with the International Meat Secretariat and International Dairy Federation.
—87%: 2019 – Dr. Sailesh Rao, The Climate Healers organization performed a global sensitivity analysis and concluded the best estimate of animal agriculture’s contribution to GHG emissions is 87%.
What percentage of global warming did the 2006 UN FAO report estimate livestock contributed?
The 2006 UN FAO report estimated livestock contributed 18% to global warming (not peer-reviewed).
What did the 2009 Worldwatch Institute report estimate as livestock’s contribution to global warming?
The 2009 Worldwatch Institute report estimated livestock contributed at least 51% to global warming, after identifying under-counted emissions and other issues in the UN report.
What percentage did the UN revise livestock’s contribution to in 2013?
In 2013, the UN revised the estimate of livestock’s contribution from 18% to 14.5%, after partnering with the International Meat Secretariat and International Dairy Federation.
What estimate did Dr. Sailesh Rao from The Climate Healers organization provide for livestock’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions?
(environment briefing)
In 2019, Dr. Sailesh Rao concluded that livestock’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is around 87%.
How does the contribution of livestock to global warming compare to the transportation sector?
By almost all estimates, livestock’s contribution to global warming is greater than that of the entire transportation sector (cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, and ships), which the EPA estimates to be 15% globally.
What are the key consequences of global warming for human populations and wildlife (9)?
- Rising Temperatures
- Sea-level Rise
- Extreme Weather Events
- Impact on Agriculture and Food Security
- Biodiversity Loss
- Health Risks
- Ocean Acidification and Coral Bleaching
- Disruption of Migration Patterns
- Social and Economic Inequality
What does the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) say about climate change?
The IPCC states that “The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a livable future.”
What role do rainforests play in sustaining life on Earth?
Rainforests are the lungs of the planet, creating the oxygen that sustains animal life.
How does the loss of rainforests contribute to global warming?
Losing rainforests reduces carbon sequestration, which in turn contributes to global warming.
What did the Smithsonian Institution report about Amazon rainforest destruction between 1995 and 2000?
From 1995 to 2000, the equivalent of seven football fields of Amazon rainforest were destroyed every minute.
According to Yale University, how much does animal agriculture contribute to Amazon rainforest destruction?
Yale University maintains that 80% of Amazon rainforest destruction is caused by animal agriculture.
What role does overgrazing by livestock play in desertification?
Overgrazing by livestock is considered an important factor in desertification worldwide.
What are ocean dead zones, and what causes them?
Ocean dead zones are areas where oxygen levels are too low for most marine life to survive, caused by eutrophication, which is an excess of nutrients (mainly nitrogen and phosphorus) from animal waste and fertilizers.
How does animal agriculture contribute to ocean dead zones?
Animal agriculture contributes to ocean dead zones through animal waste runoff and the use of fertilizers, with animal agriculture using 83% of global farmland.
How does animal agriculture contribute to water pollution?
Animal agriculture generates wastewater containing contaminants like blood, fat, and other pollutants that degrade water quality. It also contributes pathogens, antibiotics, and growth hormones, which contaminate water supplies.
What are the dangers of pathogens from livestock manure?
Manure from livestock can carry pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Giardia, which can contaminate water supplies and pose a risk to human and animal health.
How do antibiotics and hormones in animal agriculture affect water systems?
Antibiotics and growth hormones used in animal agriculture can enter water systems through manure runoff, disrupting aquatic ecosystems and contributing to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Compare the gallons of water required to produce one pound of some typical food products.
The gallons of water required to produce one pound of…
—Beef: 1,850
—Pork: 720
—Chicken: 520
—Soybeans: 256
—Wheat: 220
—Corn: 148
How much water is required to produce one pound of beef?
It requires 1,850 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef.
How much water is required to produce one pound of pork?
It requires 720 gallons of water to produce one pound of pork.
How much water is required to produce one pound of chicken?
It requires 520 gallons of water to produce one pound of chicken.
How much water is required to produce one pound of soybeans?
It requires 256 gallons of water to produce one pound of soybeans.
How much water is required to produce one pound of wheat?
It requires 220 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat.
According to a 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), what percentage of mammal biomass on Earth is made up of farm animals?
62% of mammal biomass on Earth is made up of farm animals.
How much of the mammal biomass on Earth is attributed to humans?
34% of the mammal biomass on Earth is attributed to humans.
What percentage of the mammal biomass on Earth is wild animals?
4% of the mammal biomass on Earth is wild animals.
How does the total weight of chickens on farms compare to the total weight of all wild birds?
The total weight of chickens on farms is approximately 2.5 times that of the total weight of all wild birds.
What is the weight ratio between humans and their livestock compared to wild mammals?
Humans and their livestock combined outweigh wild mammals at a ratio of about 24 to 1.
Why is animal agriculture considered inefficient?
Animal agriculture is inefficient because most of the feed calories consumed by an animal go toward energy for daily living, and some energy is used to produce body parts that are not consumed.
How much of global farmland is used by animal agriculture, and what percentage of total calories does it produce?
Animal agriculture uses 83% of global farmland but produces only 18% of total calories and 37% of calories from protein. (The 2018 Joseph Poore Oxford Study.)
According to the 2018 Joseph Poore-led Oxford study, what percentage of farmland is used to grow food for human consumption, and how much of the total calories does it produce?
17% of farmland is used to grow food for human consumption, which produces 82% of total calories and 63% of calories from protein.
How many calories of plant feed are required to produce one calorie of food from animals, on average?
According to the World Resources Institute, on average, it takes 24 calories of plant feed to produce one calorie of food from animals.
How much feed is required to produce one pound of meat from farm animals?
It takes on average 4 to 6 pounds of feed to produce one pound of meat from farm animals.
Why does the 5 to 1 feed conversion ratio understate the inefficiency of animal agriculture?
The 5 to 1 feed conversion ratio understates inefficiency because it compares the weight of wet output (meat) to the weight of dry input (feed grains).
According to a University of Minnesota study, how much of the crops fed to animals contribute to the human diet as meat and other animal products?
Only 12% of the crops fed to animals contribute to the human diet as meat and other animal products.
What counterclaim is there for the arguments that “The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture” briefing makes?
In the Agriculture and Human Values journal in 2021, Finnish researchers put forth a seemingly reasonable argument that there is no convincing case for climate veganism.
What did Finnish researchers argue in the 2021 Agriculture and Human Values journal regarding climate veganism?
Finnish researchers argued that there is no convincing case for climate veganism, but their conclusion was more nuanced, stating that climate considerations obligate one to follow a predominantly vegan diet.
What does the Finnish study in the 2021 Agriculture and Human Values journal suggest about the moral obligation to follow a vegan diet?
The study suggests that climate considerations oblige one to follow a predominantly, but not strictly, vegan diet, acknowledging some exceptions like certain types of fish consumption and discarded foods.
Does the Finnish study in the 2021 Agriculture and Human Values journal dispute the overall sustainability of vegan diets compared to other diets?
No, the Finnish study does not dispute the sustainability of vegan diets. It concurs with the idea that vegan diets are more sustainable compared to other diets.
How was environmentalism related to veganism from the beginning?
Environmentalism was part of veganism from the beginning, as early vegans embraced a lifestyle that respected both sentient beings and the planet, aligning with the principles of environmental and sustainability movements.
What role did early vegans play in environmental and sustainability movements?
Early vegans were forerunners of today’s environmental and sustainability movements, promoting a natural way of living that valued both sentient beings and the planet.
What other resources are mentioned in the briefing “The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture”?
- Our World in Data
- Greenpeace
- The Guardian
What data does Our World in Data provide regarding food systems?
Our World in Data provides extensive data on the environmental impacts of different food systems, including animal agriculture, covering aspects such as greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption.
How does Greenpeace highlight the environmental effects of industrial meat production?
Greenpeace highlights how industrial meat production contributes to climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.
What topics does The Guardian frequently cover regarding meat production?
The Guardian frequently publishes articles on the environmental costs of meat production, focusing on issues like deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
Why do environmental concerns often serve as a gateway for many people to consider veganism?
Environmental concerns resonate with a broader audience and often serve as a gateway for many to consider veganism, especially those who might not connect with the moral case for animals.
What should you do early in a conversation when discussing veganism?
Early in the conversation, gauge the interlocutor’s primary concerns—whether they are more focused on the environment, health, or ethics—to tailor the discussion accordingly.
How should you approach someone who is deeply concerned about the environment regarding veganism?
If they are deeply concerned about the environment, spend more time discussing the environmental benefits of veganism. People who adopt a vegan diet for environmental reasons are often more receptive to the ethical message later on.
How can you link the environmental benefits of veganism to broader values?
Emphasize how the environmental benefits of veganism align with broader values like sustainability and justice, while keeping the core message in focus: animals are sentient beings who deserve compassion.
How could you pivot to the ethical perspective once someone understands the environmental argument for veganism?
Once someone understands the environmental argument, pivot to the ethical perspective by saying,
—“While the environmental benefits are clear, veganism is also about respecting animals as individuals.”
What should and shouldn’t be your goal in discussing the environment?
Your goal isn’t just to throw out statistics—it’s to help people connect the dots between animal agriculture and environmental destruction in a way that makes change feel urgent, logical, and achievable.
In discussing the environment, what are some questions you can ask to segue the conversation back to animal ethics?
—“Even if animal agriculture were perfectly sustainable, would that make it ethical to confine, exploit, and kill animals unnecessarily?”
—“If we care about the destruction of forests and oceans, shouldn’t we also care about the destruction of the lives of billions of sentient beings?”
—“If we wouldn’t destroy entire forests for a burger, should we also question the morality of taking an animal’s life for one?”
—“It’s shocking that we clear rainforests to grow crops—not to feed hungry people, but to feed farmed animals who are then slaughtered for food.”
—“If we oppose factory farms because they harm the planet, shouldn’t we also oppose them because they cause immense suffering?”
—“80% of Amazon deforestation is caused by animal agriculture. How do you feel knowing that millions of wild animals are losing their homes just so we can have cheap burgers?”
—“Have you heard of ocean dead zones? Factory farming runoff creates massive areas where no marine life can survive. If we care about the planet, shouldn’t we be concerned about that?”
Why? It helps people recognize that even if animal agriculture weren’t environmentally destructive, the fundamental ethical problem would remain—the unjust suffering and killing of sentient beings for human consumption.
In discussing the environment, how can you show them they have a personal connection?
—“If you’re trying to lower your environmental impact, did you know that if you ditch meat it will have a bigger impact than giving up your car?”
—“Most people focus on cars and planes when they think about climate change, but did you know that raising animals for food contributes more greenhouse gases than all transportation combined?”
Why? This makes the issue immediate and relevant rather than abstract.
In discussing the environment, what questions can I ask to appeal their environmental concerns?
—”If we truly care about the planet, shouldn’t we align our diets with the most sustainable choices?”
—“Did you know that animal agriculture takes up 83% of farmland but only gives us 18% of our calories? Just think of what re-wilding that land could do for the environment.”
Why? This shifts their thinking to sustainability.
How can I instill a sense of urgency about the environment?
—“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we’re running out of time to prevent the worst effects of climate change. If one of the biggest causes is what we eat, shouldn’t we take that seriously?”
—“Scientists say we need massive diet shifts to prevent climate catastrophe. If the experts are saying this, why aren’t we acting on it?”
Why? This makes the issue urgent, rather than just another long-term problem.
