At This Time

The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 (Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC) has just ended. At COP28 last Sunday, during Food, Agriculture and Water Day, was launched Plant Based Treaty’s Report Safe and Just which looks at global food systems. The Report covers several matters key to sheep. Two dimensions are addressed in the Executive Summary (p 17) in these statements: 

‘If we combine all land required for farming animals for meat - including grazing pastures and land used to grow crops for animal feed - animal agriculture accounts for 83 per cent of global farming land.’ 

‘Transporting live animals is not only cruel and prolongs their suffering, but adds to the growing number of emissions associated with farming animals for food - a climate cost that is rarely factored in.’

Methane emissions are discussed in the Report (p 34) with the remark given:

‘The historical breakdown of annual anthropogenic CH4 demonstrates that animal farming has consistently remained the predominant methane source for more than a century, and this trend continues to escalate due to the increasing demand of meat and diary products.’ 

Of the global food system, it is said:

‘The global food system, which greatly influences every aspect of the biosphere, is a primary driver of environmental degradation in the Anthropocene epoch. Central to this system is animal agriculture, which has a considerable ecological footprint. The clearing of forests for pastures destroys habitats, releases carbon, and removes carbon sinks. Monocultures for animal feed create biodiversity deserts.’ (p 44).

And it is also said: 

‘In terms of the efficiency of our global food system, animal products provide only 37 per cent of global protein intake and a mere 18 per cent of calories. Yet they are responsible for 83 per cent of agricultural land-use and 71 per cent of deforestation. The inefficiency of animal-based products, coupled with their substantial environmental impact across various areas, clearly indicates that an animal-centric global food system is not viable for meeting the needs of the 21st century.’

In regards land use, it is advised in in the Report:

‘Moving to a diet that excludes animal products has transformative potential, reducing food’s land use by approximately 3.1 billion ha (a 75 per cent reduction), which is crucial if we want to mitigate the climate crisis, restore integrity, and provide healthy food for all (Poore and Nemecek, 2018).’ 

The prominent attention in the Safe and Just Report - in the Executive Summary - to live exports and their cruelty to animals is much for welcoming. For, cautious, welcoming too is that in this month in the UK the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill was introduced to Parliament (on 4th December) and will be debated in Parliament (on 18th December).  

An end, throughout the world, to live exports of sheep is heartily to be wished for. At this time of Christmastide, a period of festivity and revelry, what do sheep want for Christmas and for every day of the year? This must be the simple basics: good and right food; clean, fresh, drinking-water; access to shelter; good health; being with friends and family; peace and no unwanted disturbance. It can be noted that a feature of ‘holidaytime’ is people going for country walks, quite frequently in large groups, and often having dogs with them. So, a gift from humans to sheep is for people to ensure that their dogs - predators to sheep - are always on leads near sheep.