Climate change is developing into the greatest threat ever to our world's survival. One of the most damaging contributors to climate change is, remarkably enough, conspicuous in its absence from the debate: the livestock industry. In the report The livestock industry and climate – the EU makes bad worse we investigate the impact of the continually increasing consumption of animal products on climate change, and the roll the EU plays. Some hard facts:
- The livestock industry is responsible for approximately 18% of global greenhouse emissions attributable to human activity, which is more than the transport sector's share.
- Compared to the 1950s, the world's meat consumption has increased fivefold.
- As much as 88% of deforested surfaces in the Amazon may have been converted to pasture for livestock (Causes of Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon Report, World Bank, 2004).
- Every year the EU subsidizes the production of animal products in agribusiness to the tune of billions of euros.
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