Impact of livestock industry on climate change: Case Study in South Korea — A review

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing argument attributing the primary cause of global climate change to livestock industry, which has led to the perception that the livestock industry is synonymous with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, a closer examination of the global GHG emission by sector reveals that the energy sector is responsible for the majority, accounting for 76.2% of the total, while agriculture contributes 11.9%. According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the total GHG emissions associate with the livestock supply chain amount to 14.5%. Within this, emissions from direct sources, such as enteric fermentation and livestock manure treatment, which are not part of the front and rear industries, represent only 7%. Although it is true that the increase in meat consumption driven by global population growth and rising incomes, has contributed to higher methane (CH4) emissions resulting from enteric fermentation in ruminant animals, categorizing the livestock industry as the primary source of GHG emissions oversimplifies a complex issue and disregards objective data. Therefore, it may be a misleading to solely focus on the livestock sector without addressing the significant emissions from the energy sector, which is the largest contributor to GHG emissions. The top priority should be the objective and accurate measurement of GHG emissions, followed by the development and implementation of suitable reduction policies for each industrial sector with significant GHG emissions contributions.