Dr Nick Palmer, Head of Compassion in World Farming UK, said:

“The IPCC report, published today (9th August), warns that urgent, far-reaching steps are essential if we are to avert climate catastrophe. It states that the world must deliver strong, rapid and sustained reductions in methane in order to tackle the climate crisis.

“Methane is produced by ruminants - cattle and sheep – so a rapid reduction in global consumption of beef, lamb, milk and dairy products is needed. In particular we must end the keeping of cattle in feedlots where they not only emit methane but are fed on cereals and soy. We must also end the emissions caused by the use of fertilisers to grow crops for animal feed. In addition we must end deforestation in the Amazon where large amounts of soy is produced to feed animals, such as pigs and chickens, in factory farms all over the world.

“In short, we must vastly reduce consumption of meat and dairy with most meat and milk coming from cattle raised on well-managed pastures where substantial amounts of carbon can be sequestered. This will help to offset the substantial methane emissions.”

For more information, please email Media.Team@ciwf.org or call 01483 521 615