Australia holds key to cutting global livestock emissions, international study finds

Carbon emissions from livestock would be slashed by up to 30 per cent globally if animal husbandry practices used in Australia were adopted across the world, a new report has revealed.

The Oxford Analytica study found livestock producers could increase production to meet the needs of an additional 1.6 billion people by 2050 while keeping emissions at current levels.

The study drew on 17 years worth of data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health, covering 180 countries.

It concluded the agricultural sector could effectively produce more food with fewer emissions by increasing uptake of existing best practices used in high-income countries such as Australia and the US.

“At present, the total CO2 emissions from cattle, poultry and other food-related animals are estimated at 7.1 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent,” the report said.

“These emissions could fall by between 18 per cent and 30 per cent if, holding production constant, producers working in food and agriculture took up the same working practices as their colleagues who are already the lowest emissions producers.”

Assuming a 30 per cent reduction in livestock emissions intensity could be achieved, the study analysed how much more protein could be produced while holding current global CO2 emissions constant.

“If livestock emissions intensity — that is, (greenhouse gas) emissions per unit of production — falls by 30 per cent, the global protein supply could increase by up to 76.1 billion kg,” the report stated.

“Assuming a world population of 7.9 billion people, this is equivalent to additional protein of 9.6kg per person while holding emissions to their current overall level.

“Assuming global per capita protein intake remains constant at 80.1 grams per day, this increase in protein supply is equivalent to offering protein to an additional 2.6 billion people.

“However, recognising that not all animals will be slaughtered and used for meat and dairy in a single year, if it is assumed a 60 per cent protein conversion rate, this is equivalent to serving the protein needs of an additional 1.6 billion people per year.

“Therefore, scaling up existing practices in animal health and husbandry means livestock could comfortably serve a world population of over 9 billion in 2050 while holding emissions to current levels.”

Cattle Australia chief executive Luke Bowen welcomed the findings, which he said further highlighted “the crucial role Australia’s beef industry will play in addressing the world’s food security and climate challenges”.

He said Australia — the world’s second-largest exporter of beef behind Brazil — had some of the most sophisticated systems in place.

“This study maps out how to cut emissions while feeding more people, and the Australian industry is a long way down the road in doing both,” Mr Bowen said.

“There is a lot of capacity around the world to more widely adopt good animal health practices that are common in Australia.”

Mr Bowen said Australia’s beef industry had focused on improving climate, environmental sustainability, animal health and genetics for decades.

“This just goes to show Australian producers know what they’re doing when it comes to the efficient production of high-quality, healthy, clean and nutritious protein,” he said.

“It is important the Federal Government acknowledges this as it develops sector-based emission reduction plans.”

The report also found reducing cattle losses from disease by one per cent globally would result in enough additional beef to meet the needs of 317 million people.