Urgent need to reduce the impact of livestock on climate change
9.12.2015
Question for written answer E-015602-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Eleonora Evi (EFDD) , Marco Zullo (EFDD) , Marco Affronte (EFDD) , Tiziana Beghin (EFDD) , Dario Tamburrano (EFDD) , Paul Brannen (S&D) , Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) , Jytte Guteland (S&D) , Claudiu Ciprian Tănăsescu (S&D) , Stefan Eck (GUE/NGL) , Anja Hazekamp (GUE/NGL) , Ivo Vajgl (ALDE) , Laura Ferrara (EFDD) , Keith Taylor (Verts/ALE)
The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21) presents a new opportunity to discuss the role of livestock farming, and of our diets, in driving climate change.
The livestock sector is responsible for 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to FAO estimates.[1] In addition, the emissions of the livestock sector are expected to rise.[2]
Despite the fact that the high consumption of animal-based products is having a massive impact on climate change, there are no indications that this important issue will be addressed in the forthcoming negotiations of the COP21.
In the light of this, the Commission is asked to answer the following:
- 1.In recognition of the urgent need for dietary change in order to limit global warming to 2°C, will it — rather than follow a business-as-usual model — consider taking specific measures to address the problem, including developing and supporting initiatives to educate the public regarding the consumption of animal-based products?
- 2.Rather than encourage the growth of the livestock sector in the EU, and support promotional measures to increase consumption of animal-based products, will it develop a plan for a gradual reduction target of 50% in meat and dairy consumption by 2030?
- [1] Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Tackling climate change through livestock — A global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities, FAO: Rome, 2013.
- [2] Bajželj, B. et al., ‘Importance of food-demand management for climate mitigation’, Nature Climate Change, 4(2014), pp. 924‐929, http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/nclimate2353