Research Paper about Cows, Methane, and Climate Change

Cows are the No.1 agricultural source of greenhouse gases worldwide (UC Davis). Moreover research in 2015 indicated that the livestock sector produced 6.53 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent and cows made up 65.2% of it. Yes, Beef contributes to a large amount of climate change and this appears to be the case because of the type of animal beef is made from and the things people do for making them consumable. 

Cows are ruminants, meaning that microbes in their multi chambered stomachs help them digest by fermenting their food (Washington post). When this occurs a greenhouse gas called Methane or CH₄ is produced, which then enters the atmosphere when the cows burp and fart. 

Methane is a hydrocarbon and a GHG that lives an average of 12 years and it is produced by the decay of organic material. Methane is 23-28 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere when compared to carbon dioxide in a century, which translates into methane trapping 84 times more heat per mass in a 20-year period. It is among the Short Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs), which cause 40-45 percent of global warming (AIDA), when it accounts for only around 10 percent of global emissions. 

 A single cow produces 100~500 liters of methane per day and approximately 220 pounds (ca.100 kilograms) of methane each year. For reference, a single cow produces the same amount of atmosphere warming GHGs as driving an average car a distance of 5,000miles (ca.8,046 kilometers). This means a cow's emissions have more global warming potential in a relatively short period because of methane's properties of being potent and short-lived. If we remove cows we would get significantly less climate change for a short period. 

Forests, wetlands and savannas are carbon sinks: They absorb and store carbon (Washington post). Carbon sinks absorb up to 30% of our emissions which make them very important because they hold gigatonnes of gas. But these environments are cut down to make new ranches and farms. This releases the gigatonnes of carbon dioxide stored in the trees, dirt, and various plants which transforms the carbon sink into a carbon source. But it can also make the carbon sinks less effective at absorbing GHGs in the future. These facts are indicating that the deforestation happening to create more cattle ranches is releasing gigatonnes of carbon by destroying the carbon sinks and is also weakening them permanently. 

In conclusion, cows contribute to climate change more than we expect because of the way they digest food, the gas they produce by digesting and the activities happening to create them. If we eat less cows we could meet the Paris agreement's 2025 emissions goals.