Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock

The assignment provides an overview of the harmful effects of greenhouse gases emitted from livestock management and digestion systems in Australia. Strategies to reduce these emissions are discussed, including animal breeding, rumen manipulation, and the use of artificial meat. The importance of implementing these strategies is highlighted to minimize the impact on the environment and human health.

ECONOMICS

INTRODUCTION
The essay incorporates the various sources of greenhouse effect and static government
measurement to reduce the same in Australia. The MLA has been taking initiative to reduce
carbon emissions from ruminants who are though major source of food production in Australia.
They contribute around 6 billion tons of greenhouses gases each year in Australia. The waste
generated by ruminants produces methane and nitrous oxide which are the largest contributors
for warming earth's surface. The essay will provide an overview about the livestock and its
contribution towards greenhouse effect and efficiency of Australian market. It will incorporate
policies and procedures to reduce gas emissions from livestock.
Australian livestock digestion contributes generously to greenhouse gas emissions. As
Australia is amongst the second in exporting of wool and red meat they need to maintain
livestock by feeding extensively providing tropical grasses and woodlands which are in
abundance (Smith and et.al., 2018). It has been estimated that livestock production is growing at
a faster speed than agriculture thus producing more and more greenhouse gas. Methane and
nitrous oxide is produced from livestock digestion system and has reached 50% of overall
emissions in Australia.
It has been researched that total 80 Mt of methane is produced globally from ruminants
both wild and domestic (Frappart and et.al., 2018). Both methane and nitrous oxide represents a
loss of energy and decrease of nitrogen capture for plant growth. CH4 or methane contributes to
11% of national greenhouse gas emissions in Australia which comes from beef, dairy cattle and
sheep. The methane is produces in the rumen of these animals which is the first stomach of
ruminants and helps in fermentation (Sankar and et.al.2018). Methane plays a critical role in
removing the hydrogen produced in microbial fermentation in the large fore-stomach (rumen) of
these animals, allowing efficient digestion, growth and performance. MLA has been involved in
reducing methane emission using government programs such as Carbon Farming Futures and
RELR program.
Category of Livestock Methane Emission (in Mt)
Beef Cattle 36.6
Sheep 13.6
Dairy Cattle 6.8
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Feedlot Cattle 2.1
Others 0.24
The above table depicts various category of livestock and emission of Methane gas from their
digestion process in Australia in the year 2008 (Frappart and et.al., 2018).
It is estimated that the global production of meat and dairy products will increase by the
end of 2020 enhancing consumption capacity of people in developing countries. The Australian
livestock industry have a huge potential to enhance its operations so as to make profits but needs
to take a strict control over controlling of harmful gases in the environment. The Australian
government needs to take sustainable and environment production of meat and dairy products to
decrease the essence of greenhouse effect (Sankar and et.al., 2018).
(Source: Sankar and et.al., 2018)
Australia has been amongst the highest producer of methane emission all over the globe.
Thus it requires to form strategies in order to reduce carbon footprint so as to reduce methane
and other harmful gas emission (Sergeev Sablon and Little, 2018). The graph depicts the
increasing rate of emission with the changing years has increased in Australia as compared to
other parts of the world. Australia has generated huge tonnes of red meat for all parts of the
globe and thus contributed generously in the emission of harmful gases by the ruminants and
their digestive process.
The use of red meat and cattle products in Australia has seen a major change in last few
years which impact its overall equilibrium market efficiency. The cost-benefit analysis of
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Australian market weighs the consequences of carbon emissions and the cost related to stabilize
its impact on the country. Policy needs to be formulated in order to bring benefits which are
equal to the cost of damages that is avoided (Sankar and et.al., 2018). Thus, an analysis of the
effect of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock digestions on the economic efficient
equilibrium of the market is carried out using Cost-Benefit model of economics. This model of
economics will bring in equilibrium in the Australian market thereby imposing taxes on
producers.
The Benefit cost analysis takes into two variables that is emission levels and social cost
of carbon. The benefit is calculated on the basis of an equation which comprises of E1 and E2.
Benefit = (E1-E2)* SCC
Where,E1 stands for annual harmful gas emission in the era of no carbon tax
E2 stands for annual emission during last year
Year Emissions (in Mt)
2005-2006 614
2006-2007 597
2007-2008 592
2008-2009 593
2009-2010 577
2010-2011 552
2011-2012 559
2012-2013 551
2013-2014 548
The table depicts various range of emissions in Australia during the period of no methane
tax which was later levied in the year 2012-2013. This year has seen a lower emission of
greenhouse gas as government has imposed taxes on harmful gases emissions by corporate
sectors, agriculture and livestock farming. The below graph clearly shows the decrease in carbon
footprint by Australia due to carbon taxes (Sergeev, Sablon and Little, 2018).
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The another factor responsible for calculating cost benefit analysis is social cost of carbon. This
factor converts the emissions into a monetary value (Smith and et.al., 2018). Let us suppose the
SCC for four years to be
SCC 9.4 33 52 14
Now to calculate the economic analysis in order to determine the benefits of carbon tax period.
The E1-E2 as calculated be the year 2011-2012 has seen an emission of 559 with no methane tax
and year 2013-2014 has seen harmful emission of 548 with methane tax on livestock producers
which has a difference of 11 Mt of methane emission. Thus the benefits arises in the form of
lower methane emission has impacted the equilibrium market of Australia.
SCC ($/ton) Benefits (in million $)
9.4 103.4
33 363
52 572
14 154
An analysis needs to carry out to reduce carbon footprint by involving various strategies
which will incorporate imposing taxes on livestock producers, bring in innovative technology
and new production methods and lastly enhance consumption of artificial meat (Oreskes, 2018).
All such changes incorporated by MLA has to be given a proper channel and ways to implement.
The strategies will include
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Herd management - To reduce methane emission the producers of livestock needs to
manage animals by reducing unproductive and enhancing productive breeds. They should focus
on health diet of animals and quality of food which will improve their rate of fertility and thus,
reduce total rate of methane (Oreskes, 2018).
Managing diet and nutrition provided to animals - The quality of feed provide to
livestock will help in quick digestion thereby controlling rate of methane emission which is
usually produced by ruminants while digesting hard food. Another important aspect needs to be
kept in mind is to improve the quality of forage provided to ruminants which should have high
quantity of soluble carbohydrates and low fibre.
Animal breeding - Another strategy is animal breeding which should be incorporated in
order to reduce emission of methane during livestock digestion. It is viral to select those genetic
lines of cattle and sheep which has lower methane emissions. It depends on the grazing system of
animals which should be checked and controlled by livestock management team.
Rumen manipulation - It implies to chemically reducing the microbial bacteria present
in rumen of ruminants so as to reduce methane emission during digestion process. The research
shows many reforms and new methods of implementing this system has gained importance in
coming years. Many types of vaccines and other agents needs to be used by the producers of
livestock so as to minimize the emission of harmful gases such as methane and nitrous oxide
which impacts earth.
Another strategy which is incorporated by the MLA is the use of artificial meat or IVM
so as to stop he emission of methane from beef cattle (Oreskes, 2018). A survey though
conducted shows a clear willingness of people to introduce IVM as red meat is harmful for
humans as well as for the planet Earth. Research are undertaken to make people aware about the
harmful of red meat and various diseases associated with it.
CONCLUSION
The essay concludes the harmful effects of carbon, methane and nitrous oxide produced
during managing livestock and other associated activities which is the main reason behind
increasing greenhouse gas effect which in turn is warming the earth surface bringing in newer
diseases. The economic equilibrium of Australia is impacted by the emerging emission of
harmful gases through the livestock management and their digestion system. There are strategies
which are formulated to reduce greenhouse gas effect from livestock production system. The
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Australian government needs to impose taxes on methane emission which will impact producers
of livestock to react in a more environment friendly manner by using efficient ways to feed and
mange livestock.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Frappart, S. and et.al., 2018. Exploring French adolescents’ and adults’ comprehension of the
greenhouse effect. Environmental Education Research. 24(3). pp.378-405.
Harris, S. E. and Gold, A. U., 2018. Learning molecular behaviour may improve student
explanatory models of the greenhouse effect. Environmental Education Research. 24(5).
pp.754-771.
Oreskes, N., 2018. Why believe a computer? Models, measures, and meaning in the natural
world. In The Earth Around Us (pp. 70-82). Routledge.
Sankar, T. V. and et.al., 2018. Reducing the Impacts of Greenhouse Gases. In Emerging Trends
of Nanotechnology in Environment and Sustainability. Springer, Cham.
Sergeev, A., Sablon, K. and Little, J., 2018. Greenhouse Effect to Enhance Photovoltaic
Conversion Efficiency above the Detailed Balance Limit. Bulletin of the American
Physical Society.
Smith, K. L. and et.al., 2018. No Surface Cooling over Antarctica from the Negative Greenhouse
Effect Associated with Instantaneous Quadrupling of CO2 Concentrations. Journal of
Climate. 31(1). pp.317-323.
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