What We’re Reading | I am concerned about climate change — can I still eat beef?

By Dr. Silke Nebel, Vice-President – Science and Conservation, Birds Canada

Climate change and loss of biodiversity and are two challenges threatening the future of humanity. They are referred as “twin crises” because the factors driving them – and the potential solutions – are tightly linked. Trying to address one without addressing the other may have unintended consequences¹.

A good example is cattle production. Producing beef has, on average, a much higher environmental footprint than producing any other forms of protein, and if we were to look at just greenhouse gas emissions, we might conclude that beef production should be replaced altogether. But doing so would – in at least one scenario – have negative consequences for biodiversity.

‘What We’re Reading’ is a quick look at some of the issues and insights Alberta Beef Producers’ content creators and editors are reading to stay up-to-date, to broaden perspectives, and to explore issues relevant to the agriculture industry.