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THREAD: It’s my job to point out misinformation related to my expertise & present facts & nuances. Today, I'm doing just that. The @IATP’s paper “Milking the Planet: How Big Dairy is Heating Up the Planet and Hollowing Rural Communities” is rich with misleading statements. 1/
Allow me to point out the claims I found most egregious. I'll take a statement from the IATP's report– word for word – and explain why it’s false or misleading. Let's begin: 2/
Claim 1: Scientific evidence mounts that our food system is responsible for up to 37% of all global emissions.
Fact 1: This is a misleading statement that alludes to global greenhouse gas emissions. All agriculture is responsible for 24% of GHGs. 3/
Fact 1: This is a misleading statement that alludes to global greenhouse gas emissions. All agriculture is responsible for 24% of GHGs. 3/
Globally, beef & dairy cattle contribute 9% of GHG emissions. http://ow.ly/2Lmy50A6EJc 4/
Claim 2: There's scientific consensus that our global food system & land use change is having a dramatic impact on climate change.
Fact 2: When it comes to cattle – a major part of the global food system – referring to land use change when reporting emissions is problematic. 5/
Fact 2: When it comes to cattle – a major part of the global food system – referring to land use change when reporting emissions is problematic. 5/
Both globally & in the U.S nearly 2/3 of all agricultural lands are considered marginal land– unsuitable for growing crops but able to be grazed by ruminants. Meaning we make use of this land by turning the forage grown on it into protein people can eat http://ow.ly/wP5z50A6Gb9 6/
Claim 3: (in reference to dairy corporations as a major source of global warming) … In California, these mega-dairies are further supported through public subsidies for controversial methane digesters... 7/
…which allow air & water pollution to continue even as they perversely incentivise additional manure production.
Fact 3: These so-called controversial digesters are in fact responsible for a 25% reduction in methane emissions from dairies in CA. https://twitter.com/GHGGuru/status/1269276504657018880?s=20 8/
Fact 3: These so-called controversial digesters are in fact responsible for a 25% reduction in methane emissions from dairies in CA. https://twitter.com/GHGGuru/status/1269276504657018880?s=20 8/
Dairy digesters are the most carbon negative technology in use in the state today, actively removing carbon from the atmosphere by replacing fossil fuels. Read more about CA’s efforts & success in reducing methane emissions through dairy digesters: http://ow.ly/5Cjo50A6GXq 9/
Claim 4: The total combined emissions of the largest dairy corporations rose by 11% in just two years.
Fact 4: If companies consolidated then of course, THEIR numbers would rise. 10/
Fact 4: If companies consolidated then of course, THEIR numbers would rise. 10/
According to the @FAO, between 2005-15 demand for dairy grew globally by 30%, particularly in developing countries. But emissions only grew by 18%. This speaks to the efficiency of the dairy sector as it works to feed a population that will triple in our lifetime. 11/
Claim 5: Thirteen of the world’s largest dairy corporations combined do emit more greenhouse gases (GHGs) in 2017 than either BHP, the Australia based mining, oil & gas giant or Conoco Phillips, the United States-based oil company. 12/
Fact 5: Comparing GHGs from livestock to fossil fuels is an 
to 
comparison. Methane from animals warms the planet differently than CO2 from fossil fuels. As methane is emitted it’s also destroyed in the atmosphere. 13/
to comparison. Methane from animals warms the planet differently than CO2 from fossil fuels. As methane is emitted it’s also destroyed in the atmosphere. 13/
CO2 from fossil fuels accumulates in the atmosphere, continuing to warm long after it’s emitted. http://ow.ly/3VnT50A8jtM 14/
Claim 6: Unlike growing public scrutiny on fossil fuel companies, little public pressure exists to hold global meat and dairy corporations accountable for their emissions. 15/
Fact 6: This may be the most dangerous claim in the report. CO2 is the most abundant GHG in our atmosphere & if we’re going to limit warming, we must stop it from accumulating in our atmosphere. 16/
Methane from constant cattle doesn’t contribute new carbon, but fossil fuel CO2 is pumped straight from the earth and jutted into the air where the majority accumulates. 17/
Imagine if the same time & energy spent attacking livestock, was instead spent supporting cattle as a part of a climate solution. Yes, cattle can be a SOLUTION and if we work together, we can feed a growing population AND curb climate change. https://twitter.com/GHGGuru/status/1233015847121248256 18/
Here is the paper for reference: https://www.iatp.org/milking-planet 19/19
