MAYBE WE'RE WRONG? NITROUS OXIDE DEBATE

Nitrous oxide is about 300 times more potent as a global warming gas than carbon dioxide. According to the U.N., the meat, egg, and dairy industries account for a staggering 65 percent of worldwide nitrous oxide emissions.

Nitrous oxide has been pinpointed as third most important contributor to global warming. Extensive research shows that large quantities of nitrous oxide is emitted as a result of livestock. This is evident in numerous scientific literature such as in the Soil Biology and Biochemistry journal, page 597, 'Nitrous Oxide Emissions from soils due to inputs of nitrogen from excreta returned by livestock on grazed grassland in the UK.'

There are also very detailed explanations on the N₂O emission calculations for each component of livestock production systems, i.e. animal houses, manure stores, following application of manures to land and during grazing in 'Atmospheric Environment', under 'A UK inventory of nitrous oxide emissions from farmed livestock'. If you are interested in the statistics related to each of these stages in the livestock production, head over HERE!

Naturally, nitrous oxide is emitted. This can be seen in the nitrogen cycle as shown below:

The actual nitrous oxide is emitted through feed production and the management of the manure. The former occurs due to the nitrogen based fertilisers used in the soil which leads to nitrous oxide releasing in the atmosphere.

According to new research however, Professor Klaus Butterbach-Bahl from the Atmospheric Environmental Research Division of the KIT Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen said, 'this was a big error'.

Founded by scientists from the Atmospheric Environmental Research Division of the KIT Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, studies in China show that livestock breeding does not lead to an increase in nitrous oxide. “In fact, areas not used for livestock breeding emit much larger amounts of nitrous oxide over the year.” 

The website also states that nitrous oxide emissions have been overestimated by 72%.

Supported by the 'Nature study' shows evidence pointing towards the link between grazing and the reduction in nitrous oxide emissions in some areas. 

Despite this opposing view on whether livestock is the root cause of nitrous oxide emissions or not, increasing nitrous oxide in the atmosphere is still a fact, and nitrous oxide is being emitted due to human-related agricultural factors.

Furthermore, Authors of the paper, published in Nature, say the research does not mean that producing livestock to eat is good for the environment in all countries. However in certain circumstances, it can be better for global warming to let animals graze on grassland.

What do you think?

Happy Meatless Monday! Tune in next Monday for a new post on Water Usage