Note:
Livestock production is doubly impacted by
climate change — it both contributes to the
phenomenon and must adjust to its
consequences. Whilst adaptation is being
achieved, the true mitigation potential for livestock
production is yet to be quantified. The situation is
exacerbated by the fact that demand for animal
products is escalating quickly, especially in
developing and transitional economies. The sector
is also subject of considerable biological
variability, meaning that the industry does not fit
easily into carbon trading schemes. Any response
to climate change will need to consider changes in
productivity to reduce emissions per animal;
changes in consumption to restrict the total animal
population; and policy or regulation changes as
governments make difficult decisions on mitigation
targets. There is a need to improve the reliability
and applicability of regional impact models, to
enable a system-wide assessment of climate
change effects. Similarly significant gaps exist in
our knowledge of the basic biology of animals,
and especially the rumen. In the absence of new
information for research, progress to reduce the
current and projected impacts of livestock
production will be slow.
