Now, global warming is one of the world’s most noticeable problems that we must solve. While many people know that carbon dioxide emitted from factories and automobiles is a major cause of global warming, many people know little about “methane gas,” especially cattle-produced methane gas, which greatly impacts the Earth.
・The amount of methane gas emitted by cattle and the damage it causes
Methane gas accounts for 16% of the greenhouse gases on the Earth. According to the research The global Methane Budget 2000-2017, “global methane emissions increased by 9% (about 50 million tons) between 2000-2006 and 2017.”
It has increased by 9% in the last 11 years and is causing harm to the planet.
The research also talks about “its larger global warming potential (28 times higher than carbon dioxide on a 100-year time horizon).”
The amount of methane gas generated from cattle around the world amounts to 2 billion tons per year. This amount is about the same as one country’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Greenhouse gases raise the temperature of the Earth and cause increasing sea levels due to the melting of glaciers.
Moreover, climate change causes abnormal weather, which adversely affects ecosystems and agriculture.
・How to reduce methane gas
Researchers around the world are studying how to lower the methane gas emissions of cattle. They found that the amount of methane gas produced by cows depends on the type of bacteria in the cows’ stomachs.
There is a bacterium in cows that emits less methane gas, and researchers are trying to increase this bacterium in the stomachs of cows without that bacterium. At the same time, researchers are trying to increase the number of cattle that emit less methane gas by mating them with those with high amounts of the said bacterium.
・What we can do today
There are two things we can do to reduce the generation of methane gas:
Avoid eating a lot of beef.
Eat artificial meat instead of beef.
Now, the development of artificial meat is progressing rapidly.
Artificial meat does not contain animal protein but plant-based protein, which is the main ingredient from plants.
Artificial meat made from soy protein and potato protein is comparable to beef.
There is also a hamburger chain that uses only minced artificial meat, and artificial meat is becoming more popular.
If each person takes an interest in environmental issues and takes action by consuming plant-based meat, we can gradually suppress global warming caused by greenhouse gases.
・Reference
Earth System Science Data. Global methane emissions increased 9% between 2000 and 2017. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-1561-2020
