BIODIVERSITY AND MEAT CONSUMPTION

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1 BIODIVERSITY AND MEAT CONSUMPTION

2 Impacts of meat consumption on biodiversity Carolyn Imede Opio Food and Agriculture Organization - FAO

3 Outline 1. Global livestock sector trends 2. Key features important for biodiversity 3. Implications of meat production and consumption on biodiversity 4. Policy implications and conclusions

4 Changing dietary patterns Per capita consumption of major food items: developing countries

5 Global Per Capita Meat Consumption

6 Regional Per Capita Meat Consumption

7 Annual Growth in Global Meat Production ( )

8 Drivers of the livestock sector Demand Drivers Population growth: doubled, 9 billion by 2050 Urbanization: 50% urban; 70% by 2050 Income growth: 4% p.a. (developing); 0.5% p.a. (developed) Supply Drivers Price determinants: long term declining prices for grain, energy, etc. raising over the past years Developments in transportation: cold chain, larger and faster shipments facilitating trade in livestock products, feed products Rapid technological change across food chain: breeding technologies (AI), feeding technologies and animal health; crop productivity, processing, distribution and marketing technologies Policy environment subsidies and tax exemptions, failure to internalize externalities reducing costs

9 Key features important for biodiversity Area expansion at expense of natural habitats Livestock sector largest user of land 80% of all agricultural land 1/3 of arable land for feed production arable land expansion: 36% total increase ( ), mostly at the expense of forests but also high potential pastures slowed down to 0.1 % p.a. expansion of pastures: 45% total increase ( ) still ongoing in Latin America Currently slowing and reversing elsewhere

10 Estimated distribution of livestock production systems

11 Where is production taking place?

12 Global Trends in land use area for livestock production and total meat and milk production

13 Trends in land use area for livestock production and total meat and milk production South America EU-15 - improved feed efficiency - increased reliance on feed Imports

14 Key features important for biodiversity Cereal and soybean meal utilization for feed ( ) Annual growth rates % Cereals Soybean meal World Developing Developed Europe

15 Implications for biodiversity

16 Livestock s role in biodiversity loss Demand, corresponding increases in production and structural change has implications for biodiversity Trends in the livestock sector have contributed to biodiversity loss through: Habitat change Climate change Introduction of alien species Overexploitation and competition Pollution and contamination of ecosystems Impact on animal genetic resources WWF considers livestock as threat to 306 of the 825 terrestrial eco-regions IUCN identifies livestock as a major threat to 1699 endangered species (red list). Majority of the impacts are on terrestrial (1219) rather than on marine and freshwater ecosystems

17 Habitat change: Deforestation and forest fragmentation Deforestation is a major driver of habitat change for pasture and feed-crop production Worldwide deforestation is a key threat to biodiversity However, the link between livestock and deforestation is strongest in Latin America 4.4 million hectares converted to pasture ( ) land dedicated to soybean area doubled Encroachment continues due to: Increasing demand, degradation of existing pastures, increasing competition for land for biofuel feedstock pushing producers further into forest

18 Habitat change: Deforestation and forest fragmentation Deforestation in the Neotropics ~2.4 million ha/year Forest Pasture ~0.5 million ha/year Forest Feed crops ~2.4 billion tons CO 2

19 Habitat change: Intensification of agricultural land use Large-scale use of fertilizers and pesticides reduces the species diversity in ecosystems Intensive agriculture also limits biodiversity by favoring monoculture crop production diminishing diverse habitats In the drylands, intensification results in changes to land use e.g. fencing may lead to fragmentation reducing accessibility to key resources and migration routes for wildlife Introduction of exotic grass species for establishment of improved pastures Improved efficiency in production where fewer inputs are required may reduce pressure on natural habitats and other resources

20 Habitat change: desertification and land degradation Major problem in grazed landscapes: At least 20% of world s grazing land show significant soil degradation Trampling, overgrazing and high stocking rates of pastures: leads to loss of top soil and organic matter, reduction in water infiltration, increased soil compaction, reduced fertility Increased soil erosion and land degradation negatively impact both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems Contribute to maintaining plant and animal species diversity in moderately grazed pastures

21 Climate change and biodiversity Livestock contribute about 7.1 billion tonnes CO 2 equivalent or 18% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions GHG emissions related to livestock have indirect but huge impacts on ecosystems and species through: land use change for pasture and feed production emissions from animal manure and feed production emissions from livestock Global warming can result in changes in: species distributions and population sizes; timing of reproduction or migration events, and an increase in the frequency of pest and disease outbreaks Ecosystem functions and services: e.g. climate regulating functions, impacts on water cycle

22 Introduction of alien species Invasion of native ecosystems by alien plant and animal species Intentional plant invasions to enhance animal productivity through introduction of exotic pasture seeds e.g. introduction of African grasses in Latin America Habitat change and ecosystem degradation increases vulnerability to invasive species leading to invasion of native ecosystems by alien plant and animal species putting native species at risk Livestock and livestock products as vectors of invasive species globalization and transport

23 Overexploitation and competition Livestock s role in over-fishing Other 4% 1980 Aquaculture 10% 2008 Poultry 9% Other 1% Poultry 50% Pigs 36% Pigs 31% Aquaculture 59% 86% 40% Competition with wildlife Disease spread between livestock to wildlife Competition for access to resources: pastures, water, etc.

24 Ecosystem pollution Pollution main cause of biodiversity loss Livestock production generates large quantities of waste and which often enter and pollute aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that are important reservoirs of biodiversity - Eutrophication - Acidification - Endocrine disruption wildlife and aquatic species - Soil contamination Pollution from livestock waste Nutrients: N and P Drug residues and hormones Biological contamination Pollution from feed production Chemical fertilizer application Pesticides Erosion Pollution from processing Chemical use in tanneries, slaughterhouses

25 Policies that promote exotic breeds e.g. subsidized/free Impact on animal genetic biodiversity Rapid spread of intensive livestock production utilizing narrow genetic base, few commercial breeds that are highly productive Livestock diversity erosion 20% of 7,616 livestock breeds are classified as at risk Holstein-Friesian cattle now in 128 countries large white pig in 117 Drivers Cross breeding - genetic dilution/eradication through use of exotic germplasm changes in production systems - rapid spread of specialized industrial production changing consumer preferences threaten certain varieties and breeds e.g. leaner meat changes in producer preferences in response to socio-economic changes

26 Summary Multiple ways in which livestock production affects biodiversity Includes both direct and indirect effects Includes both on-site and off-site effects Impacts on biodiversity are caused by a combination of processes of environmental degradation difficulty in isolating role of livestock Impacts can occur over different temporal and spatial scales and will vary across different production systems Impacts are largely negative although there are some positive impacts

27 Conclusions and policy implications Consumption of livestock products is expected to double by 2050, largely in developing world BAU scenario: impacts on biodiversity and environment will intensify Technology options are generally available to mitigate environmental impacts Need to tackle underlying causes: neglect of externalities (both positive and negative) correct pricing and internalization of environmental costs to correct for inefficiencies in resource use More scope in tackling impacts on biodiversity through improvements in production Intensification is key to reducing pressure on natural habitats and improve resource use efficiency Management of intensification needs to focus on improving incentives for producers to maintain biodiversity through PES, subsidies, taxes, green labelling and certification of products

28 THANK YOU