One of the more bizarre myths of the climate alarmist obsession has been the perceived threat and contribution from cows to Global warming. I intend to demonstrate unambiguously that this is all a farrago of lies and bad science.
It all started as Global Warming, moved to Climate Change and now it is Climate Crisis.
Changing the name of an illusory threat hardly contributes to clarity about a hugely complex subject. My friend Dr Ed Baxter says the main reason the Climate Crisis is receding rapidly as a possible threat to humanity in people’s minds is our requirement for an enemy.
We have at last found a real enemy in Putin and his invasion of Ukraine.
Methane ( CH4 ) is a flow gas. It has gone in 10 years. It is broken down by hydroxyl radicals (OH ) into water and CO2. Humans don’t eat grass but they eat beef. Grazed grass transpires water.
Water vapour along with ozone is the source of hydroxyl radicals. 100 times more methane is broken down by water vapour than the cow emits. Methane is in near equilibrium. Cattle whether on feed lots or grazing on grass contribute perhaps 20% of all methane. Fossil Fuels ( especially gas leaks in the ex USSR ) contribute near 40%.
The most recent peer reviewed article in the much respected Nature scientific journal suggests the contribution of methane from cows as a threat has been reduced by at least 30% as a result of more realistic and up to date calculations. So we are down to 14% of methane that cows contribute.
This is a huge change.
It is certainly the case that in pre-industrial times the numbers of ruminants on planet earth were probably three times today’s numbers. Bison, gnu etc. Burping was a bigger thing then. Mind you 8 billion humans contribute their fair share as well.
Agriculture produces perhaps 15% to global methane emissions. But we do need to eat. Yet the cow is part of a virtuous carbon cycle of air-plants-cattle-air-plants. The 2 big non-meat production companies set up to provide an alternative to meat are struggling. Beyond Meat and the other one with some daft name. The public does not like the taste, the texture or the ultra-processed nature of the product.
Good riddance, it was always a stupid idea based on lies, bad science and green virtue-signalling by billionaires with more money than sense.
How to ensure all this relatively new science and crucial understandings are brought into global policy making and political discussion ?
This is tricky as people are slow to lose their preferred preconception or prejudice. Yet the true situation as regards methane and cows is wildly different to what people think. There is no time to lose as the assault on cows seems to continue unabated. Cows are probably as old and as useful friends to humankind as dogs and that needs to be understood and respected.
I have kept cows for 35 years so I am of course prejudiced in their favour but I just happen to know I am on the right side of the argument. Cows are a truly benign species and provide the solution to any lingering anxieties that remain over methane mitigation.
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