ANIMAL farming produces 18 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a major cause of climate change. To make matters worse, the types of gases released are far more potent than carbon dioxide.
Christian Aid is organising a series of rallies under the slogan Cut the Carbon. Good news, but the charity also promotes animal farming to impoverished people. They should be backing sustainable, plant-based farming, which feeds more people, using less land and water, and produces much less greenhouse gas.
Perhaps they could take their cues from the Bishop of London, who has recognised "the negative environmental impacts caused by rearing livestock for meat". He also perceives the strong humanitarian motive, which led him to stop eating meat. Because farmed animals are such "inefficient converters ... of grain into protein", a vegetarian or vegan diet can feed more mouths.
CHRIS ANDERSON, Animal Aid.
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