THERE are more signs that perhaps the science is starting to prevail in the ongoing global debate about livestock and climate.

Breaking a long-running pattern of mainstream media articles blaming cattle for rising temperatures without delving into the underpinning science is an overnight article from the New York Times, which takes a balanced and science-based approach to explaining the issue.

It picks up on key points that independent air quality experts such as Unversity of California Davis Dr Frank Mitloehner have been pointing out for several years.

That is that methane from cattle warms differently than other greenhouse gases, the biogenic carbon cycle means that if a cattle population remains roughly the same, the contribution to warming remains about the same, and that the industry is working to address curb climate change issues through optimising feed practices and technilogy to improve efficeincy.

It also picks on the point that cattle provide a crucial benefit in being able to “upcycle” food that people can’t eat.

What a pleasant surprise to see a science-based article on the beef industry’s methane efforts by @henryfountain in the @nytimes this morning. #RethinkingMethane 1/ https://t.co/8pyPbsxt6Q

— Frank Mitloehner (@GHGGuru) October 22, 2020

You can read the New York Times article at this link:

https://nyti.ms/2T9DXsO