Cows, Methane, and Global Warming

Cows are a significant contributor to atmospheric methane. 

There is no need to control the number of cows to control atmospheric methane.

This message is being promoted by anti-Net Zero advocates. Some of our political parties are even jumping on this bandwagon. Reform UK is among the most vocal.

They have two main reasons to state this:

• They like farming, cows, and consuming meat and milk
• They are fighting the introduction and growth of plant-based meat

Our stance is that climate change is a real and growing problem. Mitigation needs to come from many directions, but vested interests are clouding and diverting attention from solutions. As a business, we want to use less, reuse, recycle, etc. We want to sell products that have low carbon footprints. 

Disclosure: I, the author, eat meat. Not a lot and from known sources. 

Their argument is that any methane cows emit, mainly as burps, is reabsorbed as part of a natural carbon cycle and therefore, cows do not cause a problem. James Melville (among many others) on X supports UK farmers, and I agree with a lot of his points of view. But when it comes to cow burps, he is misleading. 

https://x.com/JamesMelville/status/1875125831070253366

 

The science they use is selective. 

True: They say that cows eat grass, they emit methane as part of their digestion, mainly as burps, and the methane emitted by cows ends up in the atmosphere. Manure management is also a huge source in some farming systems. 

True: The methane emitted by cows is turned into CO₂ and water over about 11 years. The CO₂ is absorbed by grass (other plants are available), and the grass eaten by cows. This is a natural carbon cycle. This is true, but only really valid if there is one cow and one burp. 

 

What they fail to mention is the enormous number of cows endlessly burping. According to Grok (X's AI), there are around 1.5 billion cows worldwide. 200 years ago, roughly the period of human-caused climate change, there were large numbers of cows, but they numbered in the millions. They were also farmed less intensively. 

Atmospheric methane is recycled, however, it is constantly replaced by the 1.5 billion cows burping around the globe. A state of equilibrium is maintained. These 1.5 billion cows maintain their proportion of atmospheric methane at around 15% of total emissions. Not insignificant. 200 years ago, their contribution would have been far lower. 

Methane is a huge contributor to climate change. It is not wrong to try and reduce atmospheric methane from cows or, indeed, any other source. Overall, there are going to be many different sources to address to help counter climate change. 

Other sources of methane emissions are:

• Fossil fuel industry
• Melting permafrost
• Other farm processes such as effluent treatment from intensive units
• Rice paddies

As I say, there needs to be many different approaches for tackling the climate crisis. Cow burps are just one, a big one. 

Solutions

One solution we can all partake in is to eat more plants and less meat and milk. Good for our health and good for the environment. We can all make a difference, one lettuce at a time.

Thanks for reading my little rant on the selective use of science. 

---

Some facts from Grok. 

The estimate of 14-15% for cattle's contribution to atmospheric methane highlights their significant role in climate change, particularly given methane's high global warming potential (28 times that of CO₂ over 100 years). However, uncertainties arise from:

- Variability in measurement methods (top-down vs. bottom-up estimates).

- Differences in data sources, with some reports suggesting higher contributions (e.g., 16% from UNEP calculations).

- The inclusion of manure management, which can vary by region and management practices.

These uncertainties are reflected in the range provided, ensuring a balanced and transparent approach. Ongoing research, such as the 2024 Global Methane Budget, may refine these figures, but current data supports the 15% estimate as a reasonable central value.

Based on the analysis, cows (cattle) contribute approximately 14-15% of total global methane emissions, which translates to the same proportion in the atmosphere due to methane's finite lifetime. This figure is derived from robust data from the Global Carbon Project, Statista, and UNEP, with adjustments for cattle's dominant role in livestock methane emissions. The range accounts for variability in estimates, ensuring a comprehensive understanding for climate mitigation strategies.